


Pokémon : the Great Adventure

by Elia41



Series: Pokémon journey series [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Family, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Mentors, Pokemon Journey, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum Has Aura Powers, Smart Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 203,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28269303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elia41/pseuds/Elia41
Summary: A man shows up in Pallet Town by a stormy night, severely wounded. Five years later, Ash gets ready to start his journey as a Trainer, but he isn't alone. The man from the storm, Silver, is by his side as a mentor and a teacher. Together with a Thunder-easy Pikachu, an overprotective Ninetales and a duo of friends, they set to challenge the Leagues.
Relationships: Kasumi | Misty/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Pikachu/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum/Satoshi no Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu/Original Pokemon Trainer(s), Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Original Character(s), Satoshi | Ash Ketchum/Takeshi | Brock
Series: Pokémon journey series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070969
Comments: 12
Kudos: 27





	1. The stranger from the storm

I remember it was late at night  
In the middle of a dream  
Woke up in a pool of sweat  
Ran over the window sill  
Stuck my head out for a peak  
Dressed in black was a man I didn't recognize  
Running down my backstreet  
My heart skipped a beat  
[Stranger in town](https://youtu.be/mt7DUHvrDZo), Toto

It all started by a rainy evening. Ash and Delia Ketchum were eating by their friend, the old Professor Oak. Autumn had started and with it, the usual rain and wind that came along the season. However, it seemed that tonight's storm was quite violent. Lightning flashed, causing young Ash Ketchum to jump from his chair. His childhood friend, Gary, laughed.

"Is little Ashy scared of thunder?"

Ash growled. Though he and Gary were friends, there were ups and downs in that friendship. Delia looked at her son with kind eyes. Ash was a little five-years-old boy with messy jet-black hairs, dark brown eyes and lightning-shaped birthmarks under them. He was a nice kid with a warm heart and a certain innocence, but also one heck of a stubborn streak. Gary, apart from being Oak's grandson, was a boy with light brown hairs, dark eyes and a devious smile always stuck on his face. Cool, malicious and determined, he was Ash's best and only friend. Thunder raged and Ash cowered in fear. As if things couldn't get creepier, two knocks were heard at the door. Professor Oak raised a brow.

"Who would come at the lab at such an hour?"

He was about to go when Ash, decided to prove Gary he wasn't a coward, jumped from his chair and went to open. What he saw almost made him regret his decision. There was a weird black and white Pokémon, similar to a cross-breed between a zebra and a unicorn. His squeal alerted the three others who came by his side. While Gary was impressed by the Pokémon, Oak couldn't help but wonder where the creature came from. Delia saw none of it. All she saw was something dark slump from the Pokémon's back onto the ground. It was a man.

The shock of the encounter overcome, the woman came closer. The fallen man was clad in black clothes dirtied by mud, blood and water. He had a long black cape with a hood that was partially off, revealing a face one could only describe as noble. Seeing his mother fearlessly get to the man, Ash followed her and discovered something. The man was clutching a blue egg in his arm. He carefully took it and showed it to the Professor.

"Professor, what egg is that?"

Oak had to admit, he had never seen an egg like that before.

"Honestly Ash, I have no ideas. It's the first time I see such an egg."

Delia suddenly turned to him.

"Professor, this man is wounded!"

The group gasped. Indeed, the man in black was spotting several cuts and bullet wounds. His breathing was labored and he seemed in terrible pain. Oak helped Delia bring him on a bed and removed his clothes. Ash looked at the zebra-like pokémon and smiled.

"Hey, you can enter if you want."

The Pokémon seemed reluctant. Instead, he whined and tapped the floor with his hooves. Gary frowned.

"Well, since it is a Pokémon, I guess he must have his poké-ball."

Delia and the professor were peeling the man's outfit off his back. It was damaged but not fully ruined. His items were set on a table. Among them were six poké-balls. Three were full and three were empty. Ash took the three empty ones and gave them to the Pokémon who tapped one of them, disappearing in a red light. As he put them back, one of the red and white spheres shook violently, releasing a magnificent Ninetales.

"Where am I?"

Ash and Gary were so surprised that they couldn't answer. The fox Pokémon looked around and finally saw her master.

"Silver! Oh Arceus, no!"

Delia had finished undressing the man, revealing an athletic body with a pale skin and silver hairs. There were some scars here and there. Two, in particular, were noticeable. The first was star-shaped and covered his abdomen while the other ran along his left arm. He had also a weird black tattoo on his inner right forearm and another on the shoulder representing an hourglass pierced by a sword. Yet his most prominent feature was a long silver tail hanging from his back. Oak took his material and started treating the wounds. Delia noticed the Ninetales.

"Oh? What are you doing here?"

The fox Pokémon royally ignored her to get to her master.

"Silver? Silver!"

Oak turned, surprised to hear a voice. His eyes went round when he realized it was the Pokémon who was talking.

"Well I never! A talking Pokémon?"

"Don't give me those eyes, old man! Where are we? How is Silver?"

"Silver? You mean, this man?"

The Ninetales growled threateningly.

"Who else do you see half-dead on this bed? Will you answer my questions now or do I have to burn your ass?"

Oak was a little shaken by the aggressiveness of the creature, but he put it on the stress she felt for seeing her master wounded.

"You are in Pallet Town, in the lab of Professor Oak." Delia said in stead of her friend. "Your master came to us on a strange Pokémon. He had an egg in his hands."

The Ninetales sighed in relief.

"Thanks Lugia, Blitz managed to take us to safety. Will he survive?"

Oak frowned.

"He looks strong and none of those wounds are serious. With a good treatment and some rest, he will be just fine."

"Thank you, and sorry for my bad behavior. My name is Lya and I am Silver's main Pokémon."

Delia frowned.

"How is it you can talk?"

"Silver taught me, just like he taught Blitz, Gaya and Espera. I better get them out, they must be worried sick."

She went to the poké-balls and released the Pokémon within. There was the zebra one, a pink cat and a weird green sauropod with flower petals around her neck. Ash and Gary looked from afar, amazed. Delia frowned.

"What are those Pokémon?"

Lya smiled.

"Blitz is a Zebstrika from Unova, Gaya is a Meganium and Espera is an Espeon. We are Silver's only Pokémon and even then, he's more of a friend to us than a real master."

Espera walked to Lya.

"It seems Silver made it alive."

"Yes, thanks to Blitz's speed. He's being healed as we speak."

The three Pokémon looked at the place where Delia and Professor Oak were tending Silver's mood. Espera sighed.

"At least he's fine."

It took Silver only a few days to recover from his injuries. His strong constitution may have played a part in it but, anyway, he was healed. Never did Lya or any other talk about what happened. If someone had to tell it, it was the man. Delia was, as always, bringing a platter with some good breakfast for him when Silver opened his eyes. The mother was instantly struck by the purity of those two sapphire gems who held her gaze with a questioning look. Really, he was a handsome man.

"Welcome back." She smiled.

Silver growled.

"Where am I?"

"In Pallet Town, at Professor Oak's lab."

Thee man slowly rose to a sitting position.

"Thanks. Something smells delicious here."

"It must be the breakfast I gave you."

Silver glanced at the platter. Scrambled eggs, orange juice, toasts and bacon. The man had a half-smile.

"Would it be too much to ask for a bowl of milk along?"

"Not at all."

As soon as she left, Silver took off the white blanket that was covering him and tried to reach the mirror. He didn't go far. As soon as he rose, his head span as if he'd spent too much time in a carousel. He fell on his knees and moaned wholeheartedly. When he raised his head, he was met by two dark brown eyes and a mop of black hairs.

"Are you alright?"

Silver was tempted to sharply retort that, honestly, did he look fine? But the boy before him was a little kid. And it just happened that the man's only weakness was cute, innocent children. He could never do anything to them, may it be a simple scolding. So he swallowed his bad mood.

"Not really. Could you help me get back to bed?"

The kid gladly helped. Silver sat on the mattress and looked at the boy. Big dark eyes, messy black hairs, fair skin and two lightning birthmarks under the eyes and a big wide smile on his childish face. The man took an instant liking into him.

"Who are you, little boy?"

The kid grinned.

"I'm Ash Ketchum! Mom took care of you while you were recovering. You totally scared us when you came during the storm."

"Sorry about that." Silver looked around. "How long was I out?"

"Five days."

The man frowned.

"That's long."

"I don't think so."

Silver turned to see Delia come and place the bowl of milk on the platter. The woman gave him a knowing smile.

"You had some pretty nasty wounds when you came here. In fact, you totally dropped unconscious before us. I'm surprised it took you only five days to heal."

Silver looked around the room and spotted a mirror.

"Let me be the judge on this, will you?"

It was said without any hostility. He tried to rise on his feet once more and almost dropped.

"This won't do … Maybe once I finish that platter. Must be the smell, it's too delicious for my stomach."

Ash chuckled while Delia smiled at the compliment. Silver quickly cleaned the dishes. The bacon placed on the toasts with the eggs were a delight. He even offered a piece of it to Ash who gladly took it. The orange juice and milk were fast finished and Silver shivered as warmth ran through his muscles. When he tried to rise, he finally made it but had Delia support him. Despite his good constitution, his legs had suffered from the lack of exercise. When he was before the mirror, he took off his white shirt and raised a brow. There wasn't a single scar, in the front or in the back.

"That's what I thought."

Delia looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

Silver gave him a half-amused smile.

"I'm aware of the wounds I have. It may sound weird to you, but I'm not surprised at all it took me so short to heal."

Delia rolled her eyes.

"Seriously … It would take a human at least two weeks to make it through injuries like that and you're fine in five days. What kind of man are you?"

Silver waved his long tail under her nose.

"What tells you I'm human?"

He had a point, a very valid one. But if he wasn't human …

"Fine. What are you, then?"

"A lot of things. And no, I'm not a monster or the result of a weird experiment, if that's what you're afraid of."

Delia was only half-convinced.

"Prove it."

"Really? That's something I would be pleased to do, except I don't know how. Well, you could try asking my Pokémon. I taught them how to speak."

"We noticed."

Silver raised a brow.

"Really?"

Ash was looking at the discussion between the two adults. The man's silver tail seemed particularly fascinating. He made a move to catch it but Silver quickly swung it out of his hands.

"Don't you dare!"

When he saw the boy's shocked and saddened face, he knelt to his level.

"My tail is a very sensitive part of myself. If someone yanks it, I have a surge of pain and anger that causes me to jump at the man's throat. Furthermore, when pulled a certain way, the pain will be so that I will be completely paralyzed."

Ash nodded but still looked sad. Smiling, Silver had his appendage caress his face.

"It's silky!"

Delia smiled and Silver turned to her.

"Here's a proof I'm not a monster. I am absolutely unable to do harm to a kid … except when it comes to my tail."

He rose and looked around.

"Where are my clothes?"

Delia showed him a small package on a chair.

"I stitched them the best I could. It wasn't easy. I have never seen some of those materials. And there was a part made in hard leather ..."

"What surprises me more is the amount of weapons you were carrying."

Silver, Delia and Ash turned to see Professor Oak looking at them in the doorway. Silver shrugged.

"Well, since I'm an adventurer, it's normal that I carry weapons."

Ash turned to him.

"You're an adventurer?"

"Yep. I travel from place to place looking for things to see or secrets to unravel. Since I'm a bit of a good Samaritan, I always end up in some kind of trouble. And because I hate seeing my Pokémon friends in troubles, I usually clean the mess myself."

Oak frowned.

"Well. As I have seen, you're carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows, two blades, two daggers and those strange crossbow-looking weapons I haven't figured what to make of. And I don't talk about the two metallic tubes that generate energy blades."

Silver looked a little sheepish.

"Alright, you've got a point. But that doesn't make me a bag guy, right? By the way, where's the shower?"

Oak decided to save the conversation for later. Once the strange man had cleaned himself, the Professor had him sit at a table and explain everything. After all, Pallet Town was a small and peaceful village who wanted nothing to do with people like the adventurer. Silver started explaining.

"I am a wanderer. I travel across the world in search for adventure and knowledge. I know a lot about Pokémon, but not only. I am proficient in many other areas, making me a jack-of-all-trades in a way. I help people in troubles when I meet them and beat down the local evil teams when they cross my path. That's what my blades are for. And if you wonder why I don't use my Pokémon to fight like most people do, know that I come from a faraway place where men and Pokémon are both friends and partners. Whatever we do, we do it together and see each other as equals. That's why I try to spare my four friends as much as possible."

His soul could be felt both through his voice and in his eyes. He was honest and sincere and his tone was quiet and controlled.

"I have been through a lot of things and am willing to share my experience with whoever asks, except when it comes to using it for evil deeds. I am a teacher, a peace-maker, a musician, a healer, a fighter … But most of all, I have a special ability that is to control Aura."

Oak was surprised.

"You know of Aura? I thought it was just a myth!"

Silver chuckled.

"It's true that people with the gift of Aura are extremely few. Yet I am one of them and more. I have the ability to turn my Aura into ice and control it, which means I am an Ice Aura Master. So far, I've never met people with the same ability."

The professor was troubled by the revelation. So not only that man was an adventurer, he was also a legendary Aura Master who possessed a no less legendary skill, that of Elemental Aura. Oak had heard of it before in old fairy tales, but that was all. Finally, Delia asked the question.

"How did you get here?"

Silver frowned.

"Professor, how is the egg you found with me?"

"Nothing happened, if that's what you want to know."

The man lowered his head.

"I found this egg in the Orange Islands. I was looking for legends and stuff about the Legendary Bird trio when I stumbled upon an island with some beautiful ruins. I visited them and found a tunnel leading to an underground lake. The place was amazing, with crystals of all shapes and kinds spreading on the walls. There was an island in the middle of the lake. This is where I found this egg. I promise, I had no intention to take it with me. I was about to leave when I heard people coming. I hid away and watched as they came to the egg. To what they said, I could tell they were poachers hunting for legendary Pokémon." Silver frowned. "I had seen the markings and statues of the ruins. It was once a shrine dedicated to the Legendary Bird Articuno, the Lord of Winter. And by its look, there was no doubt to me that this egg was that of the bird, as incredible as it sounds."

Oak gasped.

"So you mean the egg you brought will hatch into an Articuno? But … Legendaries are genderless! It is impossible ..."

"I know! And I still wonder if Articuno conceived this egg with a mate or if it did by itself. If you want my opinion, I wouldn't be surprised that it was created through parthenogenesis. Some legendaries are powerful enough to send whole continents below the ocean's level so why not that?"

Ash frowned.

"What is par-the-no-gi ..."

Silver chuckled as the kid had troubles with the world.

"It is a way of reproduction where someone conceives a child by himself. I won't tell you more because you're young but, when you're old enough, I will explain it all."

"Alright!"

"Anyway, back to the story."

The whole table returned to listening to the man.

"The poachers wanted to take this egg to sell it back to the black market. I couldn't stand that thought so I came to the men and tried to convince them to leave it. But they didn't want to listen." Silver's face darkened. "None of us would let go of it so, of course with people like that, our argument became a fight. In the confusion, I managed to take the egg and escape but they found me and things turned bad. I shot several of them with my bow and the rest was killed by Lya, my Ninetales. I don't regret my actions. They were criminals. But they still gave me some wounds to worry about. My only thought was to get out of there fast so I used another Pokémon and fled the island. I lost consciousness at a point and that's all."

Oak nodded.

"So all you wanted to do was save that egg from smugglers."

"Yes. And I know Lya will yell at me for being careless but better me than that egg."

" _ **SILVER NOR SHADOW, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING ?!?!?!**_ "

"I knew it."

Lya appeared in the room, her eyes burning and her fangs bared.

"By Ho-Oh and Lugia, what were you thinking when you challenged those guys? Have you seen how you ended? I thought for a moment that you would die!"

Silver sighed.

"Lya, you've been with me for years. You should know by now that it takes more than a bunch of grunts to bring me down."

The Ninetales growled but surrendered. Right, her master had been into bigger troubles before and he still made it out alive. She snorted.

"You may want to come. The egg is aching."

The table looked at the Pokémon for a moment before leaving in a blink. The egg was set on a soft pillow in a rather cool place of the lab. Gary was here, watching it. The others gathered around. The egg shook and cracks finally appeared. From those cracks emerged a blue bird as big as a chicken, but already possessing the look of a full-grown Articuno. Silver smiled.

"Welcome into life, little one."

The bird squeaked and flapped his wings. It was beautiful. Oak frowned.

"Well, I guess since you were the one who brought the egg here, it belongs to you."

Silver nodded and caressed the nestling.

"What do you think of it, Odin? Want me as your father?"

The bird eagerly nodded.

From this day on, Silver became a part of Pallet Town. He chose to settle with Delia after learning she was a single mother. Besides, he had a thing for her son, Ash. Though he was a wanderer, he didn't want to travel across Kanto with a young undeveloped legendary with him. It was too risky. And he wanted to take a break anyway.

As a proof he was no more in an adventurous mood, the man discarded his black outfit for blue jeans, white sneakers and a white A-shirt that outlined his athletic silhouette. He also locked his weapons in a drawer. His tail raised a number of question Silver dismissed by saying he came from far, very far-away. Besides, the man didn't lie when he said he had many talents. Aside from helping Delia work at the restaurant, he also helped Professor Oak into caring for the Pokémon at the lab. People tended to stay away from him because of his foreign origins but many respected him for his wisdom. Whether something was off, he would take care of it. In the following years, he became the town's handyman. But he was more than that.

When faced with Gary, Silver was surprised by the kid's arrogance. Because he was professor Oak's grandson didn't mean he ruled the town. But the turning point was an argument he had with Ash. The man didn't know what happened but, after seeing the brown kid looking down to his friend and calling him a loser, Silver couldn't help but get a strong distaste at him. So he stood for little Ash and took him under his wing. Because they lived in the same house and were often together, the two bonded fast. Ash's father was a Trainer on his journey, much to Silver's disapproval. So, in his absence, the man took on him to raise the boy. No one regretted it. Ash and the man became just like father and son.

One day, after a storm twice as strong as the one that had accompanied Silver, the man found the wreckage of a huge cargo ship on the beach down Pallet Town. People were sent to look for survivors or any valuable good that could be salvaged while the rest went to clean the area from the pollution. In the hold, Silver found a shipment of eggs that were, for most, broken. One, however, was still intact and later hatched into a Riolu the man called Riyo. It appeared that the ship came from Sinnoh, an area north of Kanto. There were no survivors, neither human nor Pokémon, and the remains of the cargo was sent through Route 21. Call him selfish, Silver chose to keep Riyo as his sixth pokémon and no one came to take the Riolu back. Go ask why.

So went life in Pallet Town. It lasted five years.

* * *

**The original plan was to import the story. Unfortunately, importing from Fanfiction.net is impossible, so this will have to be done the old-fashioned way. Not a problem.**

**For those new to the story, welcome ! This is an old work of mine but still dear to my heart (old as in 2012...). Since I'm liking Fanfiction.net less and less, I decided to move the series there, starting with this chapter. Have fun and, if you think Silver is OP, keep in mind he isn't the protagonist. Ash is, and Silver is merely the mentor. Eventually, Ash will become as strong as he is, and getting there is the whole point of the series. There _is_ Growing Up in the tags.**


	2. You call that a start ?

The road goes ever and on,  
Down from the door where it began.  
Now far ahead the road has gone,  
And I must follow if I can.

Pursuing it with weary feet  
Until it joins some larger ways  
Where many paths and errands,  
And whither them, I cannot say.  
[Roads go ever on](https://youtu.be/9B6dsfGazyI), Bilbo Baggins

_Five years later_

**_A teen is watching the heated fight between a Nidorino and a Gengar. The Ghost monster uses Hypnosis to force the Poison pokémon to sleep, only for his Trainer to switch to a huge Onix. The serpent fails to Tackle his opponent but it doesn't matter. The fight is just starting and both Trainers are more than ready._ **

Ash watched the fight with excitation.

"You just wait! One day, I'll become the greatest Pokémon Master in the world!"

"Ash, why aren't you asleep yet? It's eleven PM already!"

The teen froze, his toy poké-ball in his hand. Sure as the Reverse World, his mother was watching him from the door frame. The boy sighed.

"Mom, I can't sleep. I'm too excited!"

A soft chuckle was heard and Delia turned to see Silver enter the room, his Espeon by his side.

"That's perfectly normal." The man said as he went to Ash's level. "Your greatest dream is to become a pokémon Master and tomorrow is the day you start your journey. Come on, I'll take you to bed."

Ash groaned. Silver smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you company till you are asleep."

This thought made the boy cheer. Silver was a retired adventurer and always had nice stories to tell him. He also knew a lot and taught a great deal of his knowledge to the teen, who saw him as a father figure. Silver switched the TV off and let Ash change into his PJ's. The two climbed to bed.

"Well champion, have you chosen what Pokémon you want to start with?"

Ash thought a little.

"I don't really know. Bulbasaur is said to be very easy to train and they have a great array of attacks at their disposal."

"That's right. Also, they have type advantage over the two first Gyms of Kanto. How about the others?"

Ash looked at the ceiling.

"Charmander sounds nice but I heard it was tricky to raise. Finally, there's Squirtle. I think it's a good choice because it is not too hard to train and they have very cool attacks. I want to choose this one. And you, what was your starter Pokémon?"

Silver chuckled.

"It was Lya. I was crossing a volcano when I saw her falling in a lava pit. Reacting on instinct, I jumped and caught her. She's been following me ever since. Now, she is arguably my strongest Pokémon. Only Espera may have a chance against her and Lya is still more likely to win the fight."

Ash giggled. He had seen the female Ninetales in action and it was downright creepy. Her Flamethrower was more like a fiery tidal wave than a simple flame burst, reducing everything in its path to ashes. He had seen stone heated by the attack crumble to dust to a simple touch and sand turn into glass. But fortunately, it was only at full-power.

"Funny." Silver smiled. "I would've bet you'd take Charmander. Personality-wise, it fits you best."

The two talked a little more and Ash finally fell asleep. Unfortunately, that night, his Voltorb-shaped clock rolled into his hand and, caught in his dreams, Ash smashed it against the wall. You can easily guess what happened next morning.

"What the … What time is it? I hope I'm not too late!"

Ash bolted from his bed and ran through the house. Silver, woken by the sound, appeared from his room.

"Ash? What is that ruckus?"

The boy turned to him, completely panicked.

"I broke my clock during my sleep!"

Silver was all but a morning person. If you tried to wake him up before ten AM, you were likely to be thanked with a pillow in the face or Lya's Flamethrower. And even then, he couldn't think straight until he took a hot shower. For an Ice Aura Master, Ash had always found it weird how much Silver loved hot water. When the man heard the teen's problem, his face turned from fresh like a dead to fully awake and aware.

"Go dress and take Blitz. I'll catch you at the lab with your breakfast."

Ash didn't need to be told twice. He jumped in his clothes and whistled the Zebstrika who was grazing in the fields. The Pokémon came.

"Ash? What's wrong?"

"I'm late to receive my starter!"

"Oh, I see. Get on my back. We'll be at the lab in no time."

Like every of Silver's Pokémon, Blitz could fluently speak human language and often served as a translator between humans and Pokémon. He also served as the family's ride. Ash had been on his back countless times, as Silver taught him to ride and would often take him in long trips on the creature's back. Soon, the two were galloping on the dusty road. They arrived just in time to see Gary, Ash's ex-friend and rival, about to leave. There was a large mob around him and even cheerleaders. Blitz growled.

"The Little Prince is leaving. You wanna wait?"

"No. I want to know what starter he had."

Gary noticed the teen.

"Hey look who has come. It's been long Ash."

Ash's face hardened. After an argument that occurred in their childhood, the two had become fierce rivals, Gary taking pride in being Oak's grandson while Ash found comfort in the arms of his surrogate father. Though Oak respected Silver for his knowledge, Ash and Gary hated each other to the guts, always trying to outdo the other. It seemed Gary won that one. Ash got down Blitz and looked at the brown-haired teen.

"It seems you have come just in time to see me leave. Grandpa gave me the best starter of all and now, I will bring fame to Pallet Town by becoming the greatest Pokémon Master ever!"

"Which one did you choose exactly?" Ash retorted. "That's all I want to know."

"Well I had the best, of course. Thank you for coming. I will now be on my way to become the greatest of all Pokémon Masters."

Ash growled. Just like Silver, Gary's arrogance annoyed him to no end. Silver finally appeared, a bag in his hands. He was wearing his jeans and white shirt.

"Was it Gary leaving?"

"Yeah ..."

Sensing the boy's jealousy, the man squeezed his shoulder and gave him a smile.

"Don't mind his words. The loudest Growlithe bites the weakest."

"Ash, here you are at last! And Silver is with you, I see."

Ash turned to the old man.

"Professor, I'm ready to receive my starter Pokémon!"

"Alright then, let's see it."

Silver returned Blitz in his poké-ball and followed the two. Oak led Ash to the place where the three starters were standing. Ash grinned.

"Squirtle, I choose you!"

The poké-ball he took was empty. The boy sighed.

"He was chosen by someone who came in time." The professor frowned. "As I can see you're quite late."

"You have to forgive the kid." Silver smiled. "His clock fell in his hand during the night and he threw it against the wall thinking it was a poké-ball. I should've chosen another shape ..."

Ash smiled sheepishly and took another poké-ball.

"Since I can't have Squirtle, I will take Bulbasaur!"

No such luck again.

"Alright then, go for Charmander."

There was no Charmander in the last poké-ball. Seeing the look of pure disappointment on his face, Silver looked at Oak.

"Ash wanted Squirtle as his starter. Who took it?"

"Gary. Bulbasaur was taken by Leaf Green, the daughter of Potter who works at the nursery. As for Charmander, it was taken by Angelo."

Silver frowned and took one of his poké-balls.

"Riyo is the weakest of my teams. If you have no more starters, I'll lend it to Ash until he catches his first Pokémon."

"That won't be necessary."

The storage device opened to reveal a fourth poké-ball with a thunder bolt on it.

"Here. This Pokémon is a little tricky but, given a good training, he should become very strong."

Ash grinned from ear to ear.

"Alright, I'll take it!"

The poké-ball opened to reveal a yellow mouse with a bolt-shaped tail and two red spots on his cheeks. Silver turned to Oak.

"You have a Pikachu? That's one unusual starter. And not so easy to take care of."

"Sure. Pikachu has quite a personality, as you'll soon notice."

Ash seemed very happy with it, however.

"He's cute! I totally love it!"

He tried to hug the mouse, only for him to retaliate with a strong ThunderShock. Silver weakly nodded.

"I think I see what you mean ..."

Professor Oak gave Ash a Pokédex and five poké-balls before heading outside. Here, a group of people was waiting. Delia was here with a bag and tears in her eyes.

"Ash, at last you're leaving to become a Pokémon Master. I am so proud of you … but I am going to miss you a lot, my baby. Here, I got your bag ready."

Ash smiled and placed it on his back. Silver was smiling too. Delia suddenly noticed Pikachu at his side.

"Is that your Pokémon? He looks cute!"

Silver rolled his eyes.

"He's cute, but he has quite a temper to match. Ash better be careful on that one ..."

Delia chuckled.

"Really. But why is he out of his poké-ball? I thought all pokémon had to remain inside."

"That's right ..."

Ash took the bolt-decorated sphere and threw it at the mouse, only for it to cast it back with his tail. The trick lasted several times until Pikachu threw the ball straight at Ash's face. Something strange then happened. Ash's vision seemed to slow down and he saw the sphere coming right at him. Reacting on instinct, he raised his hand to catch it in-extremist. Silver frowned. Ash's reflexes weren't usually that fast. Delia smiled.

"How cute! You're playing ball already!"

Not pleased by the statement, Pikachu zapped the whole crowd, sending everyone down. Silver winced.

"With a beasty like that, he won't even reach Pewter City. I think I'll tag along."

Ash turned to the man, wonder in his eyes.

"Really? You're coming?"

"I think it will be for the best, at least until Pikachu is more tame."

Delia nodded.

"I'm fine with this. This way you will keep an eye on my dear son and make sure he stays safe."

Silver smiled.

"Alright then. Better go home so I can change."

They returned to the house after Lya used a strong Leer to scare Pikachu into obedience. Here, Silver turned into his old adventurer outfit. It was made of a long-sleeved shirt with a leather cuirass, skin-tight pants, knee-high journey boots, gloves and a belt with a buckle shaped as a silver circle decorated by a cross with a handle. A hooded cape completed the set. The whole outfit was as black as Ash's hairs.

"Here. We can go now. And you, little rodent, if you don't want to meet the wrath of Lya's Flamethrower, I suggest you keep quiet."

Given the evil toothed grin the Ninetales gave him, Pikachu quickly understood he better not be kidding around. That's what seeing two sets of sharp, pearl-white fangs usually did to you. So the group left Pallet Town. Pikachu followed, but it was clear that he didn't want at all to do so. Seeing this, Ash turned to Silver.

"What's wrong with him? First, he doesn't want to enter his poké-ball, then he zaps anyone he dislikes and he doesn't look like he will obey me anytime soon. What can I do to change that?"

Silver frowned.

"There are some Pokémon who hate being kept in a poké-ball, and I admit I fully understand them, especially the biggest. For the rest, some high-level Pokémon tend to disobey Trainers whose level is lower than theirs. Pikachu must be quite powerful and you're just a novice Trainer. Finally, the zapping must be just because he has a temper to match."

Ash sighed and hung his head.

"What a start ..."

Silver patted the teen's back.

"Don't worry. No Master who wasn't a beginner. Even I had to start somewhere."

Ash smiled.

"Still, if he doesn't want to obey me, it will be troublesome."

"I know. Looks like I'll have to lend you Riyo in the end."

The man took one of his poké-balls and gave it to the boy. Ash thanked him and opened it, revealing a blue and black Riolu.

"Heya, Riyo!"

"Hey, Ash. Looks like you finally started your journey."

"You can say that ..."

"Why?"

Ash eyed his Pikachu, who was looking at him with wary eyes. Riyo looked at him with a questioning glance.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I dunno. He doesn't want to obey me, even though it's my starter."

"Hence the reason Silver gave me to you."

"Yep."

Silver looked around.

"Well, what are you going to do?"

Ash frowned.

"As a Trainer, I should be challenging the Gyms, but for this, I need Pokémon."

Silver looked around, worry in his eyes.

"Well, if that's so, we're in troubles. The closest gym is Viridian City and its level is too high for you yet. The next ones are Pewter City and Cerulean City, specialized in Rock-types and Water-types respectively. Problem is, most of the Pokémon of this area are Normal or Flying-types, which means they have a disadvantage against Rock-types. That doesn't mean you can't try and catch them. If not for fun, it'll serve as a training."

Ash looked at his poké-balls.

"You're right. Let's start with Pidgey. I heard it was easy to catch."

"Rattatas aren't half-bad either. Though not strong, with some decent training, both can become rather powerful."

Ash chuckled. His surrogate father really knew a lot. Fortunately, Pidgeys were easy to find in this area. He noticed one and decided to try his luck.

"Riyo, use Quick Attack on that Pidgey!"

The Riolu gladly obliged and rushed at the bird pokémon, delivering a swift kick to its wing. The Pidgey shrieked in pain. Ash then took a poké-ball and threw it. The ball trapped the little bird and, after shaking it a few times, stayed still. Ash grinned.

"Yes! I caught it!"

"Well done champion … but where is Pikachu?"

While the two were busy getting the Pidgey, Ash's little mouse had wandered off in the grass, not interested the slightest by Ash and Silver. Something moved in his back. Reacting on instinct, Pikachu turned and zapped it. It was a Spearow. Wait, Spearow? The sound of thousand wings echoed in the grass. The mouse didn't dare to turn around …

Ash released his new friend.

"Hey here, Pidgey!"

The bird looked at his master with round eyes before chirping lightly. Ash caressed the creature. Its feathers were soft. Silver smiled.

"Pidgeys are very docile Pokémon who prefer to flee rather to fight. However, once caught, they become really loyal to their Trainer, especially if the Trainer shows them respect and care."

"Then he won't have to worry about it. None of my Pokémon will! You taught me at least that much."

"That's right. And you remember perfectly. Though having a weakness against Rock-types, there are some attacks he can learn that will make him last longer. And besides, it happens that one wins with a type disadvantage."

Ash wasn't so certain about this one. Silver, seeing his worried face, smiled.

"When you're in a tight spot, think outside the box. Do something the opponent won't have predicted. Humans have flaws. Use them for yourself. If they don't know what you'll do, they'll let you strike first. And this is where you'll win because you'll hit them so hard they won't be able to retaliate."

Ash chuckled.

"That sounds cool. Okay, let's do it!"

They were about to start working with Pidgey when Pikachu ran from the long grass, scratched and scared.

"Something's wrong ..." Silver frowned.

He then saw the huge flock of Spearows flying straight at them. Ash gulped while Pidgey quickly hid inside his poké-ball. Silver himself was wide-eyed.

"Oh shit. **_RUN!_** "

(Play [Saber's Edge](https://youtu.be/Vz8ZOw392M8), Final Fantasy XIII)

Riyo jumped in his poké-ball while Ash took Pikachu. The two started to run as fast as they could until they reached a river. Using his ice powers, Silver created a bridge of ice for them to cross. A red-haired girl who was fishing nearby looked at them, surprised.

"Hey, what's happening to you?"

"There's a flock of Spearows going after us!" Ash explained. "I'll borrow your bicycle for awhile!"

He took the orange bike and put Pikachu in the basket, then pedaled as fast as he could. Silver called Blitz and rode him. The girl wasn't really happy with it.

"Hey, give it back!"

"We'll be at Viridian City if you want it." Silver said. "We're off!"

The man and the teen raced far through the plains. In the sky, a storm was forming. The Spearows caught up with them and started attacking but Blitz retaliated with lightning and Silver used his swords to hold them off. Pikachu, half-conscious, lost nothing of Ash's efforts to save him as the teen went as far as trying to protect him with his own body from the attacks. No one saw the floor disappearing under their feet, causing them to fall. Blitz broke a leg in the fall and Silver knocked his head on a stone. Ash got out rather nicely but Pikachu rolled from the basket. Ash came to him.

"Pikachu … You alright?"

He was answered by a weak "Pika ...". Ash growled.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

The Spearows flew toward the defenseless group. Ash slowly rose as rain fell down. His clothes were covered by dirt, water and mud, but the teen didn't care. He stood before his friends, arms open and using his body as a shield.

"Alright, come at me! Come on, I'm not afraid!"

The Spearows flew to him just as Silver regained consciousness. He and Pikachu saw in horror as the birds dived to the boy, ready to tear him apart. Ash closed his eyes. He could feel it. Somehow, deep in his body, there was a strange energy building up. It was warm, soothing. The energy built up and rose, passing through his arms and into his hands, causing them to glow blue. Silver felt it.

"Palkia, there's no ways ..."

He was cut by Pikachu who ran to Ash's shoulder and jumped at the Spearows. The storm increased his lightning powers, causing his ThunderShock to become a powerful Thunderbolt. In fact, it was so intense that only Blitz's Lightning Rod ability protected Silver. All the rest was blasted by the powerful Thunderstorm unleashed by the yellow mouse. That included the girl's bike. The storm left as it had come and a rainbow crossed the sky. Ash and Pikachu were down, the teen smiling widely.

(End music)

"Does that mean we're friends now?"

"Pika. Pikachu." (Sure. Of course, we are.)

Silver rose and smiled.

"Looks like that settles it."

Ash rose too and looked at the sky. A huge golden bird flew above them, his wings reflecting the sunlight. Ash was amazed, but not nearly as Silver.

"What is that Pokémon?"

Silver looked at it, tears in his eyes.

"Ho-Oh, the Guardian of the Sky. It is one of the most respected Legendaries and the counterpart of Lugia, the Guardian of the Seas. Those who see him are blessed with good fortune."

Ash turned to him.

"Really?"

"Yes. It must be an omen. For you to see a Legendary on the first day of your journey, it means you're special."

Ash looked at the bird as it disappeared in the rainbow's light. A Legendary Pokémon … Silver returned Blitz in his poké-ball.

"Viridian City isn't very far. We'll have Pikachu and Blitz healed here. Let's go."

Ash nodded. While they were walking, Silver was deep in toughs.

' _Ho-Oh … why did you appear to us? What does that mean? You only appear to Trainers with a pure heart. Does that mean Ash is such a boy? A pure-hearted? I wouldn't be surprised. Or are you some kind of message from the Council? Also, there is something else. When Ash shielded us from the Spearows, I felt a strange energy in his body. He was about to use it when Pikachu attacked. Could it be … His hands were covered by a blue light. Aura? Ash would be an Aura Guardian? So many questions! I hope our journey will bring some answers._ '

They eventually reached Viridian City and met up with Officer Jenny, the local law enforcer. She was saying something about dangerous criminals wandering around.

"Good day to you, officer." Silver greeted.

The woman turned to him.

"And may I know who you are?"

"I am Silver from Pallet Town and this is my student of sorts, Ash. We were heading to the Pokémon Center to heal our Pokémon."

The officer raised a brow.

"Pallet Town? You must be the fourth persons I see passing from this town. Can I see your identity documents?"

"Here."

Silver gave him his identity card and Ash's Pokédex. The officer nodded.

"Alright, you're good. Do you want me to take you to the center?"

"That would be nice of you."

Five minutes later, the three were racing to the building on a sidecar-equipped motorcycle. They arrived in a beautiful drift that stopped right before the counter. Nurse Joy wasn't so pleased with it.

"Hey, there is a parking for those!"

"But our Pokémon are seriously wounded." Ash said. "They need help!"

The nurse looked at Pikachu.

"Ouch, sounds serious. Any other?"

Silver handed her Blitz's poké-ball.

"My Pokémon broke his leg during a fall. It's a Zebstrika from Unova."

"I see. I will take care of them."

She took the electric zebra's poké-ball while Pikachu was placed on a stretcher. Ash was worried but Silver calmed him.

"Don't worry. Nurse Joy's task is to heal injured pokémons. Blitz and Pikachu are in good hands."

"Is he a starting Trainer?" The nurse asked.

"Yes, as well as my student. What happened isn't really his fault. Pikachu somehow angered a flock of Spearows and they chased us to the edges of Viridian City. Without that storm and Pikachu's Thunderbolt, we were as good as gone."

"I see. This Pokémon is a courageous one. You can take some rest. They will be fine in no time."

The two Trainers nodded and let the nurse leave with the two Electric-types. Ash looked at Silver.

"What now?"

"I think we should start by a shower. We're both very dirty from the race. After this, we'll let our Pokémon out."

Ash agreed. Centers were buildings where Trainers of all kinds gathered to restore their Pokémon and find some rest. Beds, lunch and care were given for free, which was good since beginners were often rather poor. There were always some people in Centers. Ash and Silver took a good cleaning while their clothes were washed. To make things faster, Silver had Lya use her fire to dry them. Finally, while Ash released his Pidgey, Silver released his team. Espera the Espeon, Gaya the Meganium, Riyo the Riolu and Odin the Articuno took long breaths.

"At last some fresh air!" The ice bird smiled. "I missed spreading my wings!"

He looked at Ash's Pidgey.

"Oh? You caught your first pokémon? Congratulation."

Ash smiled.

"Thank you, Odin. Riyo helped me a little but it turned out just fine."

Pidgey chirped and flapped his wings as a greeting. Ash looked at the phones.

"I'll call mom."

"Alright."

Needless to say Delia was overjoyed to hear about her son. She was even more pleased to learn he got his first Pokémon and finally befriended Pikachu. Finally, Ash told her how they had seen the legendary Ho-Oh.

"I can't believe my little boy has seen a Pokémon like Ho-Oh on his first day as a Trainer! This means you must be promised to an amazing fate! Oh, I can't wait to hear about the rest of your adventure ..."

Silver rolled his eyes.

"Delia, I know you're worried about Ash but he is no more a kid. And besides, did anything bad happen to him while I was around?"

"Yes, the Spearow flock."

"True that. Anyway, I promised you I'd keep an eye on the kid and so far, that's what I did. So, as the song says: 'Don't worry, be happy'."

"Right."

The screen swiftly switched and Professor Oak appeared.

"Ah, here you are! It's nice to see you've reached Viridian City. The other Trainers have made it in no time. Did Pikachu give you any troubles? How are you doing?"

Silver placed a finger on his chin.

"Well, let's see … Ash caught a Pidgey, Pikachu angered a flock of Spearows, said flock chase us till the edges of Viridian City, Pikachu befriended Ash after he valiantly protected him and fried a bike we had borrowed, a storm came and left and we've seen the legendary Ho-Oh. Did I forget something?"

Ash shook his head.

"Good. Well, I guess that sums it all."

Oak couldn't believe it.

"What? You have seen Ho-Oh? Are you sure your eyes didn't fool you? It could have been a Fearow ..."

"Professor ..." Silver retorted sharply. "I have been traveling in much of the known world and even in places people have never heard about. I can also name any Legendary from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, the Orange Islands, Orre, the Sevii Islands, Almia, Fiore and Oblivia. I can tell the difference between a Fearow and the Guardian of the Sky when I see him. Got it?"

Oak backed up before the man's aggressive tone.

"A-alright, I forgot who I was talking to. It's true that you are an ex-adventurer … That apart, I am really happy that Ash caught a Pokémon and befriended Pikachu. Oh, the pizza deliverer must be here ..."

The man finally left. Ash was surprised by Silver's harsh tone when he and the professor talked about the legendaries.

"Why were you so hard with Professor Oak? It's not like he insulted you."

Silver sighed but didn't answer.

"It's nothing. I just … hate it when people say 'You can't have seen that Legendary. You're just a …' Legendary Pokémon appear where they want when they want, regardless of the people who see them. Who knows? Leaf or Angelo could have seen him too ..."

Ash nodded and yawned. Seeing the boy tired, he decided to sit on a chair. Ash lay his head on his lap and let the man cover him with his cape. Silver then started to hum.

[ _Shipwreck in a sea of faces_ ](https://youtu.be/WGsHz_XuCsI)   
_There's a dreamy world out there._   
_Dear friends in higher places,_   
_Carry me away from here._

_Travel light, let the sun eclipse you,_   
_For your flight is about to leave._   
_There's more in this great adventure_   
_Than you ever believe …_

_Bird's high view,_   
_Awake the stars cause they're all around you._   
_Wide eyes will always brighten the blue_   
_Chase your dreams,_   
_And remember me, sweet bravery, cause_   
_After all those wings will take you up so high,_   
_So bid the forest floor goodbye_   
_As you race the the wind and_   
_Take to the sky …_

Ash smiled in his sleep. When the red-haired girl from the river appeared with her fried bike on her back and a pissed off face, Silver merely gave her a cold look that said "If you wake him up, I put you to sleep the hard way ...". The girl saw the six Pokémon that were glaring at her the same way and preferred to keep quiet. Nurse Joy finally reappeared with the stretcher holding Pikachu. The mouse's head was caught in a machine monitoring his condition.

"There it is. Now all Pikachu needs is some good rest. As for your other Pokémon, his leg will be fully healed tomorrow."

Ash, who had awakened, smiled at it.

"That's great news!"

Suddenly, the window of the ceiling shattered and two poké-balls fell, releasing an Ekans and a Koffing. Koffing started to release a thick Smokescreen around the room, causing Silver to recall the Pokémon.

"We're attacked!"

He threw Ash his Pidgey's poké-ball as he and the girl gathered around the stretcher. Two people appeared alongside the Poison-type monsters.

_Prepare for trouble!_   
_Make it double!_   
_To protect the world from devastation!_   
_To unite all people within our nation!_   
_To denounce the evils of truth and love!_   
_To extend our reach to the stars above!_   
_Jessie!_   
_James!_   
_Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!_   
_Surrender now or prepare to fight!_   
_Meowth! That's right!_

Silver raised a brow. The smokescreen cleared to reveal a man and a woman in black and white uniform, a huge red R printed on it. The woman had long magenta hairs while the man's hairs were as long as Silver's without his ponytail, and purple. There was a Meowth with them. The silver-haired man sighed while Ash turned to him.

"Who are them? And what do they want?"

Silver sighed.

"Team Rocket, the local evil team. Every region has his own group of criminals and this one operates in the Kanto area. Their goal is simple: they want to capture all Pokémon in existance."

Ash growled.

"I won't let them!"

"Damn right. Get your Pidgey out, these two just provided us with a free training session!"

Ash grinned. He always remembered the tales his mentor told him in which he fought evil and blasted them beyond the stars.

(Play [Derezzed](https://youtu.be/F4eccPBFEjE), Tron Legacy)

"Okay! Pidgey, go!"

Silver also took a poké-ball.

"Riyo, go!"

The little bird and the Fighting-type appeared.

"We need your help, guys!" Ash grinned.

The two nodded and turned to their enemies. Somehow, Pidgey seemed a little scared by Ekans.

"Pi, pidgey pi-pi?" (Say, which one do you take?)

Riyo grinned.

"Not liking the idea of facing an Ekans?"

"Pid-gey ..." (Not really …)

"Alright. I'll take him."

"Pidgey. Pidgey-gey pip." (Works for me. I'll deal with the Koffing.)

Silver smiled.

"Looks like it is a tag battle. Ready to fight, Ash?"

"When you are!"

The fight began.

"Riyo, take down Ekans with Force Palm!"

The Riolu ran at the purple snake. Jessie smiled.

"Not so fast! Ekans, use Poisin Sting!"

"Riyo, dodge!"

The snake threw a volley of purple needles but Riyo had been trained by Silver himself. He had no trouble escaping the attack. As he jumped to strike the snake, Silver gave his order.

"Iron Tail now!"

Riyo switched attack and his tail glowed white. Ekans instinctively grabbed it with his mouth, much to Silver's pleasure.

"Fling him away!"

The Riolu kid gladly obliged. Nearby, Ash was dealing with Koffing.

"Koffing, use Smokescreen!" James ordered.

The poison ball obeyed, causing Ash to lose sight of the fight.

"Damn, I can't see a thing!"

Silver turned to him.

"You must clear this fog! Pidgey must have an attack for this situation. It's a flying pokémon, it can use wind-based attacks very easily."

Wind attack … Right, there was one. Now he wondered if his friend knew it.

"Pidgey, use Gust!"

The little bird flapped his wings violently, causing the smoke to clear. Remembering what Silver told him, he gave another order.

"Now you can see him, use Quick Attack!"

When in a bind, be unpredictable. Catch your opponent off guards and strike hard and fast so he won't retaliate. That's exactly what the boy did. Pidgey flew to Koffing before he could use Sludge and hit it violently. By a twist of fate, the attack sent it straight to Ekans who Riyo was flinging. That didn't miss it. The two Poison-types collided and fell on the ground. Ash grinned.

"Now Pidgey, blast them away with your strongest Gust!"

"Help him with Low Kick, Riyo!"

The Riolu kicked the two monsters in the air and Pidgey sent them flying in their masters with his attack. Pikachu awoke and saw the fight. Deciding to lend a hand, he got rid of the machine on his head and charged his cheeks.

" _Pika-chuuuu!_ "

The powerful Thunderbolt sent the team flying far, far away from the Center. Ash and Silver were very happy.

"Beginners." The man grinned.

(End music)

Nurse Joy smiled.

"It is true you two fought well. You boy promises to become a great Trainer."

Ash blushed.

"Well, it was Pikachu who finished them. I guess he too deserves to be thanked."

"That's right. Thanks to your actions, you saved this Center and the Pokémon within."

Silver turned to the girl.

"Now we're finished, what do you want?"

The girl didn't really know how to react. The boy and his mentor seemed quite strong, even for her. She showed them her fried bike.

"I want you to pay me back my bicycle!"

"Alright."

Silver took two hundred poké-dollars.

"Will that be enough?"

Ash frowned. He knew his friend was rich, yet not everyone carried two hundred poké-dollars in his pocket. The girl looked at the money.

"This will do..."

The man smiled kindly.

"Now that this whole mess is cleaned, I guess we better wait 'til tomorrow. Today was quite a day for everyone."

No one disagreed. So much had happened, and it was Ash's first day of traveling. If every day was like this, he didn't know how far he would go. But his mentor was with him. And besides, he had finally befriended Pikachu. This thought alone was enough to bring a smile to his face. His journey had started, he had powerful friends by his side, his first battle was a victory and he had seen the Legendary Ho-Oh. What was there to ask for more? And it was just the beginning.


	3. First challenges. Get ready !

Oh, the power to be strong,  
And the wisdom to be wise,  
All these things will  
Come to you in time.

On this journey that you're making  
There'll be answers that you'll seek.  
And it's you who'll climb the mountain,  
It's you who'll reach the peak.

Son of man look to the sky,  
Let your spirit, set it free!  
Someday you'll walk tall with pride.  
Son of man, a man in time you'll be!  
[Son of man](https://youtu.be/tiBaBca7-rY), Phil Collins

The next morning occurred without any incident. Blitz's leg was fully cured and so was Pikachu. Ash and Silver were about to leave when the red-haired girl came to them. Ash frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

The girl looked nervous.

"I … I wanted to ask you if I could come with you. Yesterday, your fight against those guys was amazing and, somehow, I want to learn to fight like that too. You see, I am a Trainer who wants to specialize in Water Pokémon ..."

Ash turned to Silver who nodded.

"Why not? The more, the merrier. How 'bout you, Ashling?"

Ash blushed at Silver's pet name for him.

"It's okay with me. Welcome in the team!"

The girl smiled.

"Thank you. I'm Misty, from Cerulean City."

"I'm Ash and this is Silver, my mentor and adoptive father. We come from Pallet Town."

Soon, the trio was crossing the road leading to Pewter City. The path was going through a forest filled with a lot of wildlife, a number of them being … insects. Go ask why Misty was terrified and kept hiding behind Ash. Silver turned to her.

"Is there a problem?"

"I'm afraid of bugs ..."

Ash raised a brow.

"Really?"

Misty strongly nodded. Silver chuckled.

"I admit, when you see some of these buggers, I fully understand how people can be scared of them. Scyther is big, green, winged and has blades instead of hands, Yanma is a giant dragonfly, Ninjask is literally a buzzing ninja with scythes and Galvantula is a giant spider weaving electric webs. So yes, with specimens like that, I understand people are afraid of Bug Pokémon. But this said, there are some others who are totally wonderful. Butterfree, Venomoth, Beautifly, Leavanny, Ledian ..."

Misty didn't seem fully reassured but, with the two men by her side, she still managed to get over it. Ash suddenly saw a Caterpie. A smile crossed his face Silver knew very well.

"You want to catch it."

"Yep."

"Alright champ', here you go."

Ash turned to Pikachu.

"Hey, wanna help me, Pikachu?"

Pikachu nodded and lightning flashed from its cheeks. At that moment, Pidgey's poké-ball opened and the bird flew before his master, visibly displeased.

"Pi? Pidgey-pipi geypi-pidgey pi pidgey!" (What? Don't tell me you're going to catch that walking snack!)

Ash raised a brow, surprised by Pidgey's behavior. Lya, who was walking by the group's side, translated.

"He asks you if you're certain you want to catch that walking breakfast."

Ash was surprised.

"Walking breakfast?"

Silver chuckled.

"Pidgey is a bird. Caterpie is a bug. Birds eat bugs as a lunch."

Okay … Ash looked at Pidgey.

"Yes, I'm serious, I want that Caterpie. Can I fight it now?"

"Pipid-geygey pi, pidgey'pipip." (If you let it near me, I eat it.)

"You better keep the two apart unless you want one to go missing ..."

That was clear. Silver was barely holding himself from laughing. The scene was exhilarating. A young Trainer couldn't catch the Pokémon he wanted simply because, to one of his team members, it was a snack. And the two were arguing. Ash turned to Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack on Caterpie!"

Pikachu obeyed. The little green caterpillar retaliated with a String Shot that trapped the mouse, but Ash knew what to do.

"Now, Thunderbolt!"

Yep, String Shot was a bad idea. Lightning ran through the string to the little bug who was fried by the attack. Ash launched his poké-ball. The red and white sphere hit the bug and trapped him inside. The creature barely struggled. The boy smiled.

"Yeah, I got it!"

He released the little bug, only for Misty to snatch Pidgey's poké-ball and release him.

"Please, Pidgey, keep that thing away from me!"

Caterpie had been mildly interested in Ash and a lot more in the girl. Seeing the bird who was looking at him with hungry eyes caused him to squeal and hide behind Ash, shivering like a leaf. Silver now couldn't help but laugh. He turned to Misty, cleaning the tears in his eyes.

"Wait until he evolves into a Butterfree. You're going to love him. And don't worry, Bug pokémon are one of the fastest evolving types."

Misty turned to him.

"You know a lot! Where did you learn it all?"

Ash chuckled.

"Silver is an ex-adventurer who settled in Pallet Town after we found him half-dead at our door when I was five. He's been with me and mom ever since. Actually, he taught me a lot of what I know and he still teaches me during our journey."

In order to keep Caterpie away from Misty, Ash let Pidgey stay with the girl. Night finally fell and they set a camp. While the two teens had sleeping bags, Silver simply rolled himself in his cape. Espera kept watch. Since she was a psychic, she didn't need to sleep, falling instead in a meditative state. This is how she perceived the conversation between Pikachu and Caterpie. The little bug's dream was to evolve into a Butterfree, but he wasn't sure if he had the strength to do it.

' _Do not worry, little one._ ' Espera mentally told him. ' _With us by your side, you will become the strongest Butterfree the pokémon world has ever seen._ '

This and Pikachu's cheers were enough to reassure the little bug who fell asleep near his Trainer. Pidgey was still keeping watch over Misty … The next morning, the trio continued their road to Pewter City. However, given the number of Pokémon in Viridian Forest, Silver suggested Ash battles some of them to strengthen Pidgey and Caterpie. The boy didn't say no. A Weedle soon appeared.

"Hey, Pidgey!" Ash smiled. "You said Caterpie are your breakfast. How about a Weedle?"

"Pi-pidgey. Pidgeygey-pipi geypi, pidgey pi." (It's alright. They aren't as tasty as Caterpie, but they'll do.)

The bird flew before his new master. Ash grinned.

"Alright! Tackle that Weedle and chain with a Quick Attack!"

The bird didn't have to be told twice. He flew to the small insect and threw it in the air before following with a fast wing-talon combo. The beasty fell unconscious to the ground without having launched a single attack. Silver smiled.

"Looks like you found your fighting style."

"Yep!"

"But, actually, those creatures are rather weak. I heard there were Nidoran around. They should provide a bigger challenge without being as risky as Beedrill."

Ash nodded and started looking for the rabbit-like creatures. He found instead another Weedle he let Caterpie fight. Espera had told him about his Pokémon's dream and Ash was eager to help him fulfill it. So Caterpie fought his opponent. The Weedle attacked with Poison Sting but Caterpie managed to dodge in-extremist. For a little caterpillar, it was unusually fast. Ash then ordered a String Shot and a Tackle that knocked the Pokémon out. He smiled.

"See? You can make it!"

Caterpie cheered and his body started to glow. When it faded, the little bug was a Metapod.

"One more step and you're good." Silver grinned.

A boy suddenly appeared. He was loosely dressed like a samurai and had a wakizashi and a bug net.

"Which one of you is a Trainer from Pallet Town?"

"I am." Ash said.

The boy suddenly drew his blade. Call it father instinct, Silver's hand flashed to his side and the short weapon was blocked by a long, one-handed sword that was stopping it from reaching Ash's throat. Speaking of Ash, a strange thing happened to him. It was as if time had slowed down and he saw the wakizashi come slowly to him, enabling him to jump to safety. When Silver noticed it, he started wondering. Ash's reflexes had _never_ been that quick.

"What has gotten into you?" Silver growled.

He had a threatening face, the kind he made only when there were serious troubles going. Both Misty and the boy were surprised that Silver had a blade. Ash, however, wasn't. He knew for a fact that his mentor hid his bow under his cape and his swords in sheaths on his tights.

"I-I just came to challenge you into a fight ..."

Silver looked at his young student.

"Well?"

"Why not?"

The kid sheathed his blade.

"I am Samurai. I am strong, modest, humble, courageous but, above all else, invincible. Are you ready?"

Silver turned to Ash and raised a brow while half-smiling. Getting the meaning of the face, Ash grinned.

"I am!"

Silver stood between the two.

"This will be a one-on-one. How many Pokémon do you have, kid?"

"Two."

"Alright. The Trainers will have to use two Pokémon only, and the first one with all of his Pokémon K-O wins. Go!"

Ash smiled and turned to Pikachu.

"Pikachu, can you stay out of this one? I want to use Pidgey and Metapod."

He winked at Silver who had a slight grin. Misty didn't lose anything of what happened between the two.

"What is going on here?"

Silver looked at the two.

"I started training Ash before he ever began his journey. He knows more about pokémon than he lets think. Deception, my dear. If you don't know how to react to something, you have a serious disadvantage against it. Ash acts all happy-go-lucky and cheerful, but he's skilled. Something's gonna happen during this fight."

(Play [The man with the machine gun](https://youtu.be/3jho-peCAKs), Final Fantasy VIII)

Samurai used his Pinsir first. Ash grinned.

"Metapod, go!"

Samurai smiled.

"Pinsir, use Tackle on Metapod!"

"Metapod, Harden!"

The cocoon Pokémon strengthened his shell and the Tackle failed. The boy frowned.

"Okay Pinsir, break him in two with your pincers."

Silver shook his head.

"Bad idea."

Indeed, Pinsir's pincers broke against Metapod's defense. Ash's smile widened.

"Metapod, Tackle now!"

Metapod lunged into the air and slammed against Pinsir's head, making him K-O. Samurai frowned.

"You're good. Alright. Metapod, go!"

Another Metapod appeared.

"Metapod, use Harden!"

Silver frowned.

"If the two use Harden, the Trainers will be out before the pokémon ..."

But Ash knew it. He took a poké-ball.

"Metapod, return! Pidgey, go!"

The little bird appeared.

"Alright, let's go!"

Pidgey seemed quite happy.

"Pidgey, gey-pidpid!" (At last a real challenge!)

Samurai frowned.

"Metapod, Harden again!"

"Pidgey, Gust!"

The bird blasted wind with his wings, causing the green cocoon monster to roll away.

"Now, use Quick Attack with only your talons!"

Pidgey flew to its opponent and started scratching its shell. Seeing defending got him nowhere, Samurai frowned.

"Metapod, Tackle!"

"Pidgey, dodge and Tackle!"

Metapod charged but Pidgey escaped and headbutted the Pokémon. Metapod wasn't defeated, but it was for soon. Ash's eyes narrowed and Silver smiled.

"Here it comes."

Indeed, Pidgey started glowing white and his form soon changed. When it was over, it was a Pidgeotto Metapod was facing. Silver looked at Ash.

"That's why you wanted to use him, didn't you? You knew it would evolve."

"Yeah. After the fight with Team Rocket and the training in the forest, I knew it was for soon. Pidgeotto, Wing Attack!"

That last strike was enough to defeat the Metapod. Silver turned to the kid.

"Invincible, eh? Well, not with Ash."

(End music)

Samurai was impressed.

"Woah! I have faced other Trainers from Pallet Town before, but you're the first one to defeat me like that. The others simply used their starter and I was toast ..."

Silver smiled.

"Looks like I taught Ash well. By the way, you should get Metapod out ..."

Surprised, Ash obeyed and saw Metapod's cocoon break. From it emerged a beautiful butterfly-like pokémon with a purple body and large pink eyes.

"And here you go."

Ash looked at his newly evolved Pokémon and laughed.

"Well done, guys! And Caterpie, you've finally become a Butterfree!"

Butterfree was overjoyed and flew around his Trainer in happiness. Misty nodded.

"He is way better like this."

Pidgeotto came to the purple butterfly.

**Auto-translator: ON**

"Congratulation for your evolution. Looks like I won't eat you in the end."

"Sure. I would be too big for your bird's stomach ..."

Pikachu chuckled.

"Well said, Butterfree!"

**Auto-translator: OFF**

The group laughed together … until a furious buzzing was heard. Misty jumped when she saw a swarm of Beedrill coming straight at them.

"Follow me!" Samurai ordered.

But Silver had other ideas.

"My turn to fight! Odin, go!"

He released the blue ice bird who spread his wings. Misty was amazed.

"What is that?"

"An Articuno I saved from poachers. Odin, ready?"

"You betcha!"

"Alright, then give me your best Ice Beam!"

The ice bird took a long breath that quickly turned into a powerful ice burst he launched at the swarm. A legendary Ice-Flying Legendary against a mob of buggers, there was no contest. The Beedrill were cooled off before they could shot the slightest Poison Sting. The three kids were awed.

"Wow, that was amazing!"

Silver grinned.

"That's what happens when you challenge an Ice Aura Master ..."

Misty and Samurai gulped. Ash and Silver turned to them.

"Shall we be going?" The man asked.

"Sure!"

They big goodbye to Samurai and finally reached Pewter City. They went to the Pokémon Center to take a well-deserved rest and check on their Pokémon. After that, Silver asked Ash.

"Pewter City's Gym is specialized in Rock-types. Do you have any idea what you'll do?"

"Depends. As much as I'd love to use it, Pikachu is weak against Rock and Ground-types. I wonder if I will use Butterfree or Pidgeotto. I think I'll take both and see what my opponent's pokémons are. If they're small, Butterfree should do. Otherwise, Pidgeotto should be able to do it, right?"

Siver nodded.

"The best would be to have a Water or Grass-type, but both were taken and they're hardly found in the wild, at least around here. Pidgeotto and Butterfree should be able to take care of this Gym."

Ash smiled at his mentor's encouragements and advices. Misty was impressed by the knowledge the two shared.

"Tag along, watch and learn, little girl." Silver had told her. "Then, when your time will come, react and win." He had smiled and told the two. "Trainer Rule n°1: Watch, learn, understand, move."

It was what they had done. Soon, the Pokémon were restored and free for a new battle. Pikachu was deceived not to participate but Ash promised him he would fight in the next Gym. The group entered the place. It was so dark … Silver turned to Lya.

"Make us some light, girl."

The Ninetales nodded and lit the tip of one of her tails. The lights of the building suddenly cam to life and the Leader of the place appeared.

"Have you come to face me?"

Ash nodded.

"Yeah, I am here to challenge you and win the Boulder Badge."

"Have you ever faced a Gym Leader before?"

Ash growled. Despite his training, he was still a little nervous. Silver felt this and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"No. But it doesn't matter. I'm ready to fight!"

The Leader had a laugh.

"Hah! Don't you know Gym Leaders are way stronger than regular Trainers?"

"Otherwise, you wouldn't be Gym Leaders."

That caught the man off guard. He nodded.

"I am Brock, master of the Rock-type. I accept your challenge."

Once again, Silver acted as the arbiter.

"This will be a two-versus-two battle. First challenger with both pokémon K-O loses! The Gym Leader cannot switch between Pokémon."

The field changed to become more mountain-like. Brock took his first Pokémon.

(Play [Hunter's Chance](https://youtu.be/6_iqiPErEDg), Final Fantasy IX)

"Geodude, here you go!"

Ash frowned. He had been wise not to choose Pikachu for this battle, but given Geodude's dual-type, he wasn't sure Pidgeotto and Butterfree would do much better. An idea came into his mind.

"Butterfree, I choose you!"

The butterfly pokémon appeared. Silver smiled, knowing his student has something in mind. Ash grinned.

"Butterfree, Poison Powder!"

"Geodude, Defense Curl!"

Butterfree slapped his wings, blowing the place with a poisonous powder. However, Geodude rolled on himself and the action generated a soft drought that kept the attack at bay. This didn't stop Ash.

"Attack with Confusion!"

Butterfree's eyes glowed and Geodude was lifted by the bug's psychic power. Butterfree then launched it in the air.

"Now, Tackle!"

The purple butterfly flew straight at Geodude and slammed it against the wall of the Gym. The stone creature was done for the count and Brock was greatly surprised. Misty cheered and Silver nodded in acknowledgment. Yet the man seemed worried.

"Ash's tactic worked because his opponent was small. If he falls against something bigger, like a Rhyhorn or an Onix, he is done for, at least with Butterfree."

Indeed, after recalling Geodude, Brock did call for an Onix. Butterfree flinched when seeing his opponent and Ash himself couldn't help but gulp.

"This won't be good ..."

Stilll, he had a fight to lead and he was going to make it.

"Butterfree, let's use Poison Powder again!"

"Onix, retaliate with Rock Throw!"

"Butterfree, dodge!"

Onix slammed his tail in the rocks of the field and launched them at Buttrfree who managed to avoid them.

"Butterfree, use Confusion and send these rocks back to Onix!"

The butterfly did so and succeeded into hitting his opponent. So far so good. Brock nodded.

"I am impressed. You managed to hold on using your Butterfree only. You are indeed a good Trainer. But it ends here! Onix, Tackle!"

With a speed quite surprising for his size, the rock snake slammed head-first into Butterfree, making him K-O. Ash went to his Pokémon's side.

"Butterfree, are you okay?"

"Butt … free-free …" (More or less … I've been better …)

Ash smiled.

"Return. You deserve some rest."

He looked at Brock.

"I'm not finished yet! Pidgeotto, go!"

The bird flew out of his poké-ball and growled when he saw his opponent. But heck, Ash was counting on him and he was decided to win! He let go of a furious war-cry and the battle began.

 _ ***KABOOM* *KAZAAM* *KABANG* ONIIIIX !!!! *BAAM* PIDGEOTTO !!! *SHING* *WHAM* PII !! ON-ONIX ! ONI-*BAOUM***_ That was more or less what could be heard from the Gym during the fight. To say that it was heated was an understatement. The whole battleground was a wreck when they finished. Even though he lost to a Tackle at point-blank range, Ash was surprised he had lasted this long. And so were Brock, Silver and Misty. The elder man blinked several times.

"Arceus, that was one fight!"

(End music)

Ash recalled Pidgeotto.

"Get back, my friend. You did an excellent work."

Brock nodded.

"I haven't fought like that in ages. I would gladly give you the Boulder Badge after such performance..."

"No thanks. A loss is a loss. I will try my chance again tomorrow, after my Pokémon feel better. Thanks for the fight, Brock. I never had so much fun!"

As they left for the Center, Silver looked at Ash.

"You have something on your mind, Ashling."

The teen smiled.

"Yep. I noticed something while we were fighting. There are pipes running on the roof of the Gym, maybe to prevent a fire breakout. I bet you anything that there's water in it. Since Rock and Ground are weak to water, if I use Pikachu to break the pipe ..."

"Brock's monsters will be soaked and Pikachu will be able to beat them! You thought of it yourself?"

"Yep."

"Then congratulation. You really are a good student. I would bet my tail Brock won't see that one coming!"

"Think outside the box, you said it yourself."

Silver could only nod. Ash challenged Brock the next morning, after inquiring if Onix was fine. Fortunately, thanks to the Leader's good care, the rock snake was in tip-top shape. Ash felt a little guilty to have to send him to the Center so quickly … But a fight was a fight and he wanted to try his new strategy.

"The match will be a one-on-one. Last Pokémon standing wins. Ready? Go!"

"Onix, I choose you!"

"Pikachu, let's do it!"

Pikachu jumped in happiness. Brock smiled.

"I don't know what's gotten into your mind, but you have no chance. Your Pikachu is an Electric-type. Onix is immune to lightning."

"We'll see about it!"

Brock grinned.

"Onix, Rock Throw!"

"Pikachu, dodge!"

Ash grinned. This attack was just what he needed. Pikachu, knowing what his Trainer had in mind, jumped so that one of the boulders hit the water pipe. Soon the arena was flooded by an artificial rain. Ash raised his fist.

"Now Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

The yellow mouse focused his energy and released a strong electric current. A bolt like that could normally take out a Geodude, but not something like an Onix. But Onix was weakened by the water. Pikachu's power did the rest. Brock was speechless. Silver raised his hand.

"Onix is unable to fight! The winners of this match are Ash and Pikachu!"

Brock frowned.

"That was short … and I was caught completely off guard. Using Rock Throw to open the water pipe and weaken Onix. I understand now why you didn't accept the badge right away. You're definitely skilled. Here."

He handed Ash the Boulder Badge. It was a simple gray diamond-shaped brooch. Ash held it with pride.

"Yeah, I won my first badge!"

Silver nodded.

"Fair and square. Here, I have something for you too."

He took a necklace made of a golden chain on which was hanging a yellow gemstone. On a side was engraved a sun and on the other was an ankh. Ash held it.

"It's beautiful!"

Silver nodded.

"This lucky charm protected me for a long time. I want it to protect you, now that you too are on a journey. I could've given you earlier, but I thought it would be better you got it after you received your first badge."

Ash laughed and passed the necklace around his neck.

"Thanks, everyone. It means a lot to me."

Brock sighed.

"I wish I could come with you."

Surprised, Silver turned to him.

"What do you mean?"

The Leader explained.

"Along with my duty of Gym Leader, I have my little brothers and sisters to care about. My father left to train and my mother, unable to stand his absence, left us as well. In all honesty, I don't want to battle. My thing is more raising Pokémon."

"You want to become a Pokémon Breeder." Silver deduced.

"Right. But because of my siblings and the Gym, I am forced to stay here..."

Silver frowned.

"I wish I could do something..."

"That won't be necessary."

The group turned to see a man appear at the entrance of the Gym. Misty recognized him. It was Flint, the man who sold rocks as mementos at the entrance of Pewter City! The man came and took off his red cap. Brock recognized him instantly.

"Father!"

Flint looked down.

"I apology for not revealing myself earlier. After I failed my journey as a Trainer, I couldn't bear to face you and your siblings and remained away, trying to avoid bringing shame on our family. Brock, my son, forgive me. I know of your dream and I sincerely regret my actions. If becoming a Pokémon Breeder is your dream, then go. I am ready to take my place as the family head and Gym Leader of Pewter City."

Brock was shocked for a moment but quickly got over it. He lowered his head.

"I understand. Thank you, father."

Later on, a group made of a man in black and his Ninetales, a young Trainer in a blue jacket and his Pikachu, a red-haired Water Trainer and a Pokémon Breeder left Pewter City. Their journey had started for good, and Ash had won his first badge.


	4. To prove your might

So many times, it happens to fast:  
You trade your passion for glory.  
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past!  
You must fight to keep them alive.

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight,  
Rising up to the challenge of our rival.  
And the last known survivor stalks his pray in the night,  
And he's watching us all in the eye of the tiger …  
[Eye of the tiger](https://youtu.be/FLZS3jQPnKw), Survivor

After leaving Pewter City, the group headed to Cerulean City. The shortest way was going through Mt. Moon, a mysterious place in Kanto. While Misty was finding the place romantic, Brock was talking about the rumors going.

"There used to be a meteor that felt here long ago and became the Moon Stone. I like to go there and dig fossils. It's interesting."

Ash turned to Silver.

"You knew it?"

The man grinned.

"Of course, I do. I have even seen that so-called Moon Stone. It is indeed a meteor that crashed here during the prehistoric era. The Clefairy of this place have established a kind of ritual I saw once. With a little chance, we might be able to see it too."

"That would be great!"

Misty squealed.

"You have seen Clefairy? What do they look like?"

"You'll see, if we are lucky."

They were cut by the screams of a man. Surprised, the group ran and found a scientist harassed by a group of Zubat. Silver raised a brow.

"Zubat? What are they doing in broad daylight?"

Ash didn't think twice.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

The attack wasn't enough to harm them, but it wasn't the kid's goal. All he wanted as for the bat Pokémon to leave and that's what they did. The Zubat quickly escaped in their cave. Silver looked at it.

"Zubat usually go out at night. I wonder what caused them to attack during daytime."

The group came to the man.

"Are you alright?"

The man suddenly jumped on his feet and hugged Ash.

"It was wonderful! No, seriously, I have never seen a Pokémon so awesome!"

Pikachu was trapped between the two and slowly being crushed. Naturally, in such a situation, he retaliated with the simplest attack he had: Thunderbolt. Needless to say Ash and the man were down for the count. Silver knelt to him.

"What happened to you? What did you do to those Zubat to earn their wrath?"

The scientist rose to his feet.

"My name is Seymour the Scientist. Knowledge and Research are my virtues!"

He took the group to the cave.

"Look at this. The cave is fully lit by those lamps some people set in all the tunnels. But the Pokémon living here need obscurity and this light perturbs them a lot."

Brock frowned.

"This is why the Zubat got out of the grotto and attacked you."

Seymour nodded.

"Look: those Paras are planting their mushroom hosts and some lamps are drying Sandshrew out. This is why I'm here. I must protect the mountain against the conspirator who are threatening those caves."

Misty raised a brow.

"Why would people try to do such a thing?"

Seymour turned to them, worry in his eyes.

"I'm afraid they are after the Moon Stone."

The group gasped.

"You're kidding, right?"

Silver shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. A Moon Stone is an evolutionary stone that can serve to forcefully evolve a Pokémon. A Skitty exposed to it will evolve into a Delcatty and an Eevee will evolve into a different pokémon depending what stone he is exposed to. Problem is, it just happens that a giant Moon Stone is hidden in this mountain and worshiped by a tribe of Clefairy. I know it because I've seen them both."

Seymour gave the man a weird look.

"And what are you, my dear friend, to know that much on this matter? Are you yet another Trainer who set his sight on this wonder?"

Silver chuckled at the scientist's poetry.

"A Trainer! This I am no more. I'm a simple adventurer and of this young boy, the mentor."

Misty was surprised when the man answered in verses. Ash smirked.

"He's just having fun."

Seymour was surprised too but laughed.

"Alright, I trust you. You see, I have come to this place and studied fragments of the Moon Stone. I always knew Pokémon came from space using it as their star ship. But because of its power, those fiends want to get their hands on the Stone, and I intent to stop them!"

Silver raised a brow.

"Pokémon coming from space? Sorry, but I heard a different story."

The group turned to him.

"Really?" Seymour cocked his head. "And please, tell me where do you think the Pokémon come from?"

The retired adventurer closed his eyes.

"During my journey across the world, I came to learn several myths from Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh. They say that, at the beginning of time was the Cosmic Egg, and from it was born Arceus, the supreme god of the Pokémon world. Arceus created the trio that is Paklia, Dialga and Giratina, who stand for Space, Time and Antimatter. Giratina was banished in the Reverse World because of his bad behavior while Dialga and Palkia set the bases of the world. Arceus also created Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit, the Lake Guardians of Sinnoh who stand for willpower, knowledge and emotions. The earth was, at this time, in his most basic state. From the pressure of the earth, in a magma pit, Groudon was born who is known as the Continent Pokémon. The Sea Basin Pokémon Kyogre was born in deep sea trenches through the same process and the Sky High Pokémon Rayquaza was born from the crystallization of the minerals in the ozone layer. Thus the Weather Trio came into existence. While Rayquaza watched from the sky, Groudon and Kyogre expended the land and the sea, until a chance encounter turned them into mortal enemies. Disaster was stopped in time by Rayquaza. Also, Regigigas moved the continents to create the regions as we know it and Heatran was born from a lava pool in Stark Mountain. This is how the world came into being. As for the Pokémon, they are said to come from one single species that has passed into legend: Mew."

Ash nodded in admiration.

"That's incredible! You never told me those tales before."

Silver had a wry smirk.

"If there's something I learned during my journeys, it is that every legend is an historic truth, all rumors are facts and every prophecy will occur, and not in a nearby future. Right now. So, until I've been proved right or wrong, I consider every myth I hear as true. This way, I'm not surprised or caught off guards when things happen."

Misty raised a brow.

"That's weird."

"That's how I'm still alive."

Seymour nodded.

"That's an interesting theory, but what about the Moon Stone? Surely, you're not going to deny it belongs to Pokémon?"

"No, you're right. I've seen it once, and I sleep better knowing it doesn't lie in evil hands."

A sound was heard and the group turned to see a Clefairy walking with a small Moon Stone in her hands. Silver smirked and turned to the others.

"Who wanted to see a Clefairy already?"

Misty squealed.

"It's so lovely!"

Ash grinned.

"So this is a Clefairy. It's funny!" He turned to his mentor. "Do we follow it?"

"Yeah. It had a Moon Stone in its hands. If we go after it, we'll most likely end up in the cave where the giant Moon Stone is stored and we'll be able to witness the Clefairy's ritual."

"Yeah!"

"Clefairyyyyyy!"

The group gasped.

"Clefairy's in troubles!" Brock frowned.

Indeed, the pink Pokémon was cornered in the corner of a cave by none others than a Meowth.

"Team Rocket." Ash sighed. "I thought we blasted them away at Viridian City."

"Looks like we didn't hit hard enough." Silver growled. "This time, I'm using Lya."

Pikachu came to the Fairy Pokémon.

"Pikachu?" (You're alright?)

"Cle. Clefairy ..." (Yes. But I'm scared …)

The evil trio started to spell its motto but Lya cut them.

"Oh, stop it already. You're annoying to say the same stupid things all the time. What the heck do you want?"

Meowth sniggered.

"All we want is to take the Moon Stone to make our Pokémon stronger."

(Play [Saber's Edge](https://youtu.be/Vz8ZOw392M8), Final Fantasy XIII)

Jessie smiled.

"Once we'll have it, nothing will stand in our way."

"Try getting it first." Silver retorted. "You may find it harder than you think. Right guys?"

In an instant, Lya, Riyo, Pikachu and Butterfree were out. Ash turned to Misty.

"Take care of Clefairy, it may become dangerous."

Brock had gotten a Zubat before entering. He used it alongside Geodude. Ash smiled.

"You're outnumbered!"

But the duo wouldn't give up.

"Smogo, Smog!"

The poison creature generated a thick cloud of smoke, much to Ash's delight.

"Butterfree, Gust!"

The purple butterfly flapped his wings and sent the cloud back to its caster. Misty and Seymour used the distraction to run. Jessie growled.

"Ekans, Bite!"

"Riyo, Low Kick!"

The snake pokémon jumped to Butterfree, only for Riyo to kick its jaw. Brock nodded.

"Zubat, Supersonic!"

The bat emitted sound waves that confused Ekans and Smogo. Silver turned to Ash.

"You finish it or I take care of them?"

"I'll do it! Butterfree, Confusion! Throw them away!"

Butterfree nodded and used its psychic powers to lift the Rockets. A simple impulse was enough to blast them deep in the caves. The three fighters gave each others high-fives.

(End music.)

"Great teamwork!" Brock smiled. "But I get the feeling we forgot someone ..."

Lya looked at a tunnel.

"Meowth. He used the battle to escape."

"Which means Misty is in troubles!" Ash gasped.

Silver placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, she'll make it. Misty may not look like it, but she has a temper to match. Meowth is in for quite a surprise."

Misty and Seymour had followed Clefairy outside the caves and further up the mountain. Unfortunately, Meowth was faster and reached the Fairy Pokémon before them.

"Come on, Meowth is going to catch you!"

Scared, the Clefairy fell from the cliff it was climbing ... and landed on Misty, who took Seymour in her fall. The three ended in a small river. The speaking cat grinned and landed on a rock.

"Great. Now give me the Moon Stone!"

"Cleffa?"

The group turned … and saw a Pokémon that looked like a mini-Clefairy watching them from a rock.

"Cleffa?"

The Clefairy saw it and screamed.

"Clecle! Clefairy fairy-ry! Clefairy!" (Clecle! Please, run away quickly! Don't stay here!)

Meowth turned and saw the little creature.

"What is that? It seems you care a lot for that pup. How about you give me the Moon Stone and I spare her life?"

The little Pokémon joined its evolved form before Meowth reached it. Clefairy growled.

"Clefairy fairy-cle, cle clefairy-ry, clefairy fairy!" (I don't like to fight, but if you force my hand like that, I'm going to!)

"So be it, then!"

The white cat unsheathed its claws, only for Misty to jump before him.

"Not so fast! Staryu, go!"

Staryu was a star-shaped Pokémon that seemed to be made of cooper or bronze, with a pink gem serving as its core and protected by a gold piece.

"Staryu, Swift!"

Staryu's core shone and hundreds of glowing stars flew to Meowth who barely dodged them.

"Now, Water Gun!"

The head appendage bend and sent a burst of pressurized water that hit its opponent dead on. Meowth flew far away just as the group arrived.

"Are you alright?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. We're fine."

Silver noticed the little Pokémon at Clefairy's side and his eyes widened.

"A Cleffa! It's the first time I see one here."

Brock frowned.

"What's a Cleffa?"

"Clefairy's primary form. Cleffa evolve into Clefairy when their friendship with someone is strong enough." He knelt to the Clefairy. "Is it your child?"

The Clefairy nodded. Misty frowned.

"Meowth tried to obtain the Moon Stone by threatening Clefairy with it. That's so low!"

"But now, they're gone."

Dusk came and the group settled on the slopes of Mt. Moon. Brock and Silver were cooking dinner and it was smelling awfully good. Brock had made Pokémon food from a recipe he thought of while Silver was making human meals. Ash tried Brock's food and found it totally disgusting, earning a soft chuckle from his mentor.

"Looks like not everyone can eat Pokémon food. Come on, dinner's ready."

The man had made Tauros steaks with vegetables and, for dessert, a recipe of omelet with honey and Miltank milk. Ash took his time to savor it.

"Mom owns the only restaurant of Pallet Town. Ever since he settled with us, Silver has been helping her. Mom couldn't believe it when he first cooked for her. It smelled so good … So, when there were lots of customers, Silver helped Mom with the orders."

"Your Mom owns a restaurant?"

"Yep."

"And yet he can't even bake an egg to save his life." Silver chuckled. "Ash has no talents in cooking whatsoever. Not that he didn't try. It's just that he isn't good at it."

Pikachu, Lya, Clefairy and Cleffa were talking. To what Lya was saying, it was most likely about the ritual that was about to occur. Finally, everyone finished eating and followed Clefairy and Cleffa to a grotto. Silver smiled.

"Here we go ..."

The two Fairy Pokémons led the group to a circular cave in the middle of which was a giant Moon Stone. Misty had stars in her eyes while everyone was impressed by the sight. Silver turned to the group.

"I don't know many people who witnessed the Clefairy's moon ritual, and even less who were offered to watch it by the Clefairy themselves. We can consider ourselves honored."

Clefairy placed its stone on a free space in a ring of similar stones. The circle, once complete, began to glow and dozen of other Clefairy appeared. One of them, apparently the leader, came to them and spoke a few words Lya translated.

"The leader wants to thank us for saving one of them and her child from Team Rocket. This is why he is leaving us see tonight's ceremony."

The Clefairy started to dance in rhythm around the Moon Stone. Lya translated Clefairy's explanation.

"They are honoring the Moon Stone and thank it for giving them the power of the stars. They wish that one of them will receive the blessing of evolution only it can grant."

Seymour looked deceived.

"So … it has nothing to do with outer space?"

"No. Not really. The Clefairy just have a special relationship with the moon and the stars and can draw their strength from them. The mysteries of evolution are a secret to most. All people know are some of its mechanisms such as why it occurs. But how it does works and why Pokémon can do that, no one knows."

"How interesting!"

The group turned in one swift move to see Team Rocket standing at the cave entrance.

"Again?" Ash growled.

Silver snarled.

"This time, I'm definitely using Lya ..."

The Ninetales had a toothy grin. Seymour stepped before them.

"No ways! I won't let you take the Moon Stone! It belongs to the Clefairy!"

Problem is, when your knees play maracas, your credibility takes one heck of a blow. Needless to say Team Rocket wasn't impressed that much.

"Is he threatening us?" Jessie asked.

"He doesn't look scary at all." James smirked.

"That's because he has no guts." Meowth added.

Not taking the insult well, Seymour ran at the team … and was mowed by the cat pokémon.

"Oops. What did he want to to exactly?"

The poor scientist had lost his glasses in the fall. Seeing their friend powerless, the rest of the group jumped into action.

"Onix, go!"

"Pikachu, attack!"

"Lya, get ready!"

The stone snake, electric mouse and fire fox found themselves against Ekans and Smogo.

"Ekans, use Dig!"

"Smogo, Smokescreen!"

A thick cloud of smoke soon filled the place. Ash coughed.

"This won't do! I need to get rid of it! Pidgeotto, Whirlwind!"

"It's too late." Silver growled.

Ash turned to him. The man had his eyes closed.

"The Moon Stone and Team Rocket are gone."

"How can you tell?" Misty asked.

The toxic cloud cleared and Silver explained.

"Since I am an Ice Aura Master, I can use a skill called Aura Vision. With it, I can see through the thickest fog and the deepest night, but I cannot see through walls. Also, it gives me a kind of foresight."

There was a hole in the ground. Brock quickly ordered Onix to follow them while they got outside. Left alone, Seymour was still looking for his glasses but a Clefairy was kind enough to give them back. The scientist was surprised.

"Why aren't you after those evil men? They stole your stone. Isn't it sacred to you? You have to protect it!"

The Clefairy were reluctant but the little Cleffa didn't think the same. She looked at the path the group had taken.

"Cleffa!"

She jumped through the tunnel, much to the surprise of her elders. They looked at one another.

"Clefa-clefairy?" (What do we do now?)

"Clefafa. Fairy-fairy fa. Clefairy!" (We have no choice. This human is right. Let's go!)

(Play [Conflict at the entrance](https://youtu.be/CJe_22XxvMI), Prince of Persia - Warrior Within)

Team Rocket was sliding down the slopes on a sled, the Moon Stone carefully wrapped.

"The good guys never win!"

"But we always do because nice guys are stupid!"

Really? Well, not here. Onix emerged from the ground straight in front of them. The sled collided with the monster, leaving both sides stunned. The group arrived at that moment.

"Here they are!"

Onix roared and dived at the evil trio but Koffing, reacting on instinct, shot at him. The strenght of the hit was enough to knock them both out. Brock gasped.

"Onix!"

Silver turned.

"Hey, look!"

The little Cleffa had followed them and was standing before them, ready to fight. Jessie growled.

"Looking for trouble? Ekans, Poison Sting!"

The little Cleffa jumped out of the way and ran at the purple snake.

"It's using Pound!" Silver noticed.

Indeed, Cleffa landed on Ekans's head and leaped back, growling. Ash smiled.

"She's tenacious!"

"And quite aggressive for her kind." Brock noticed.

From the tunnel dug by Onix appeared Seymour and the Clefairy. The Pokémon stood before Team Rocket and began singing while moving their hands. Silver's eyes widened.

"Metronome! It's going to hurt!"

Indeed, if the dance was fascinating, the attack that followed was akin to Hyper Beam. The area was blasted, sending Team Rocket away and shattering the Moon Stone. Silver breathed.

"Metronome's effects are kinda random. One can never predict what's going to happen, but I heard it could be influenced by strong desires. I guess this Hyper Beam-like effect was born from the Clefairy's desire to get rid of those guys … and the Moon Stone."

(End music)

Suddenly, shards of the jewel started to rain on the Pokémon, causing those touched to evolve into Clefable.

"It is as Silver said." Ash smiled. "The Moon Stone can cause some Pokémon to evolve."

They helped the Clefairy and Clefable gather the shards that remained from the giant stone and placed them back in the cave. Here, the ritual started, but it was different. Some Clefairy had received the favor of evolving and the dance was no more a prayer but a thanks. Seymour smiled.

"That's it. I'm staying here with the Clefairy and Clefable. Those creatures are truly fascinating and I want to learn more about their bond with the moon and stars."

Ash smiled.

"I hope your researches prove to be successful!"

They spent the night in Mt. Moon, taking their time to rest from the adventure that occurred. When he woke up, Ash was surprised to see the little Cleffa sleeping against his stomach. The others were surprised too, until a Clefairy came to them.

"Clefa, clefairy ry. Clefairy fairy clecle."

Lya explained.

"She wants you to take her daughter with you. The girl has always been more battle-ready than the others. Traveling with you should do her good."

Ash couldn't believe it.

"Is that true? You want to come along?"

"Cleffa!"

Silver chuckled.

"Clefairy and their kind are rare. With some training, this little girl should become a valuable ally."

Ash nodded and took a poké-ball. The Cleffa tapped it and let herself be trapped in it. Soon, the group left Mt. Moon after bidding goodbye to Seymour and the Pokémon colony. They soon reached a crossroad where a signpost gave them the path to Cerulean City. However, there was something written in a corner. Ash's eyes widened when he read it.

_Gary was here. Ash is a loser._

The boy's fists clenched out of reflex and his head slowly turned to the town. Silver immediately sensed the kid's anger and pressed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ash, calm down."

Ash glared away.

"I hate him."

Silver smiled kindly and massaged the shoulder to ease the tension.

"I know. I hate him too." He knelt at his level. "Listen, carefully. It isn't because Gary was here and has done most likely more than you did that you must feel jealous. A lot of things happened to you that I'm sure didn't happen to him. Look at what happened so far: you've seen Ho-Oh, protected the Pokémon Center of Viridian City, won your first badge, caught three Pokémon, one of them being extremely rare and you helped protecting a colony of Clefairy. I don't care if Gary caught more Pokémon than you or obtained more badges than you did. To me, it matters less than the fact you saved people and Pokémon. These are the things that matter, the things that make a great man. Gary won badges and caught Pokémon, he is a Trainer. Ash saved people and made precious friends, he is a savior. What do you want to be? A Trainer or a savior?"

The trio of kids looked at Silver. Those were were words of wisdom, there were no doubts about it. Ash looked away, ashamed to have left his anger take the best of him. Silver caressed his cheek.

"Not everyone give the same meaning to the term Trainer. There are over six hundred different Pokémon in the world, Legendaries included. Catching them all would take a lifetime, and you only live once. Tell me, Ash, what it it to be a Trainer to you?"

Ash looked away.

"Until now, I thought it was someone who went and caught Pokémon to train them, like most people do. But, hearing you, It feels like there is something more to it."

Silver nodded.

"You're right. Everyone has its own interpretation of the word. To some, it is to catch and train powerful Pokémon, to others it is to challenge the Leagues and defeat the Champion … Every Trainer is different. It isn't because Gary wins badges and catches a lot of Pokémon that you must do the same."

Ash looked down and got all of his Pokémon out. There was Pikachu, of course, and Cleffa, Butterfree and Pidgeotto. The kid looked at them deeply, in a way he had never done before. His hand ran on Pidgeotto's head, scratching Pikachu's fur, stroking Butterfree's stomach, caressing Cleffa. He closed his eyes.

"You're right. There is more to being a Trainer than simply catching and training Pokémon." He looked at his team. "You guys are more than simple creatures I train to fight. I care for you a lot, and every one of you is special to me. You're not simple pets. You're my friends, and I value your friendship, just like I value the friendship I share with Brock and Misty." He turned to Silver. "I will keep on challenging the Leagues. But instead of trying to catch a lot of Pokémon, I will only catch those who really interest me or want to come with me."

Silver nodded.

"Here you go, champion."

The group headed to Cerulean City but, strangely enough, Misty was more than reluctant to follow.

"What is wrong?" Ash asked. "Do you have a problem with the town?"

Misty didn't answer right away. Silver closed his eyes and smiled.

"Not really, it's more with the people who live here, especially a trio of performers."

The girl's eyes widened.

"How do you know?"

"Espera read your mind and sent the info to me. That's the good side of having a Psychic-type in your team. Sorry."

Misty sighed.

"Well, I guess, since you know it, there's no use hiding it. I'm the last of the Sensational Sisters of Cerulean City. The four of us are in charge of the Gym here but I really can't stand them so I left and went to train to become a stronger Water Trainer." The girl sighed. "I never got along with them. I was too boyish to their taste. But at least I cared for the Gym while they never did, always preferring to perform with our Pokémon. So no, I don't want to go to Cerulean City. I don't want to meet up with them."

Silver rolled his eyes.

"Hearing that makes me happy I never had siblings … That doesn't change the fact Ash still needs eight badges to enter the League Tournament. Listen, I just got an idea. You're in charge of the Gym, right?"

"Yes, alongside those pests."

Silver grinned.

"Then that meant you are technically a Gym Leader. If Ash fights you and defeats you, he would have to receive the Cascade badge, right?"

"Right."

Ash grinned.

"Then all we have to go is reach the Gym. We fight, I win, I get the badge and we leave. No need to stay too long if you don't want to see your sisters. All I want is the Cascade badge. Once I got it, we're off. And we won't have to see your sisters since you can take their place as the Gym Leader."

Brock's eyes shone.

"That's a well-thought plan. Let's do it!"

Misty, after thinking a little, nodded.

"Alright, I'll guide you. Cerulean City is my town, I know my way around. We'll have to sneak into the Gym if we don't want to be caught by my sis."

They followed the girl around her hometown but were lured away by a mob gathering in front of a building. It appeared that thieves stole a giant vacuum cleaner. Why? No one knew. So they kept heading for the Gym. Silver turned to Ash.

"Do you know what Pokémon you'll use against Misty?"

The boy frowned.

"Misty said she wants to become a Water specialist. Pikachu sounds perfect since it has a type advantage. For the rest, I'll just improvise. Maybe I'll use Cleffa."

They quickly reached the building. It was tall, circular and with a Dewgong decorating the entrance. Misty led them to the back door and unlocked it. Sound and music reached their ears.

"Damn, they're performing. We'll have to wait till they leave."

The show lasted half an hour. Once it was over, the group sneaked in the battle area. It was a giant pool perfect for water fights. Silver and Brock sat on the sidelines while Ash and Misty faced one another. They had decided to make it a fair fight despite the threat of the girl's sisters noticing. A badge was a badge and Ash wanted to earn each one of his.

"Staryu, I choose you!"

(Play [The walk of life](https://youtu.be/4HWswiP0sJY), Rayman 2)

"Go, Cleffa!"

The little fairy Pokémon jumped happily at the prospect of a battle. She faced Staryu fearlessly, awaiting orders. Misty grinned.

"Staryu, Water Gun!"

"Cleffa, Protect and retaliate with Pound!"

The little creature nodded and summoned a dome of light that protected her from the Water attack. She then used her jumping powers to land straight on Staryu's jewel.

"Chain with Return!"

Guessing Staryu's weak point was his core was an easy guess. Cleffa punched the jewel with strength, causing it to crack. Misty shivered. The little pokémon was indeed a warrior-born. Silver smiled at the sight of the star-shape pokémon being mistreated by a small pink ball.

"You know, it makes me wonder who's her father. Clefairy aren't that aggressive, most of times."

Brock nodded.

"It's true. Cleffa has a battle instinct you don't find among her species."

Misty was set on not losing so easily.

"Staryu, use Swift!"

Cleffa quickly jumped out of the way and landed before her Trainer. Ash grinned. He didn't know why, but he was totally loving his new friend.

"Cleffa, Psyshock!"

The Pokémon generated a blob of psychic power and sent it to Staryu who dived. Ash didn't order his friend to follow, knowing the sea star creature had the advantage underwater. Misty grinned.

"Staryu, Water Gun!"

The surprise attack took the little fairy totally off guard. She was sent straight into the pool, soon followed by her opponent. No Trainer knew what happened underwater, except Cleffa didn't look like she would lose easily, even with ground disadvantage. After a few minutes, the two emerged in a burst of water. Cleffa's tiny fist could clearly be seen piercing Staryu's core. The Water Pokémon landed on a platform, defeated. Ash cheered.

"Well done, Cleffa!"

"Cleffa!"

Silver nodded.

"Once more, it was a heated fight. It seems Ash is good at putting up fights in the toughest situations. At the same time, I don't think Cleffa can be considered 'normal'. She's too different from her kind, nature-wise."

Cleffa looked away.

"Cleffa. Cleffaffa cleffa facleffa. Facle cleffacleffa cleffa." (I know. That's why I always stayed away from the others. My father wasn't from there.)

Lya raised a brow.

"Really? Where did he come from?"

"Faffacle. Cleffacle, cleffacleffa facleffacle. Cleffaffacle ..." (I don't know. But I know he looked like a walking mushroom. He was weird …)

The Ninetales frowned.

"A walking mushroom … Silver, looking in the fairy egg group, do you know of a Pokémon that is somewhat mushroom-looking?"

The man thought for a moment.

"The only thing that comes into my mind is either Shroomish or Breloom. Any precision, Cleffa?"

"Cleffa cleffa-cle … clecleffa." (He had a green body … and a tail.)

"Breloom."

Brock turned to Silver.

"What's a Breloom?"

"It's a dual-type Pokémon that is half-Grass, half-Fighting. Its fighting style is similar to that of a boxer and it is very protective toward its family."

Ash looked at the little Cleffa.

"No wonder she fights so hard. If her father is a half-Fighting ..."

Staryu being out of shape, Misty called Starmie. Ash nodded.

"Alright. Cleffa, you did great for today. Now is your turn, Pikachu!"

Although Pikachu was a little reluctant to face a friend, he knew Ash needed the badge. And besides, if he had it too hard, he just had to believe it was a friendly fight.

"Starmie, Water Gun!"

"Pikachu, dodge and Thunderbolt!"

As planned, Pikachu had a type advantage. He jumped out of Water Gun's way and retaliated by a somewhat weak Thunderbolt. Sure, he wanted to win the battle, but he didn't have to go all out on that one, right? The bolt of lightning crippled Starmie who backed up. Misty growled.

"Starmie, Tackle!"

Pikachu answered by using the spinning purple star Pokémon as a jumping platform and answer by yet another Thunderbolt. Starmie fell on the ground, its core jewel twinkling several times. Pikachu was about to give the finishing strike when the wall broke, revealing a somewhat modified giant vacuum cleaner. On it was none other than Team Rocket.

(Switch to [Derezzed](https://youtu.be/F4eccPBFEjE), Daft Punk)

"Them again? They're annoying!"

Silver totally agreed.

"Please, spare us your motto and let's get to the point. We were about to conclude a fight here."

"Easy." James explained. "We are going to suck the water of this pool, and the Pokémon inside along."

The began absorbing the water with the vacuum. Misty growled.

"Not so fast! Goldeen, Horn Attack!"

The fish Pokémon jumped at the machine, only for Meowth to retaliate by a jet of water that threw it on the ground. Ash suddenly had an idea.

"Pikachu, jump in the water and use Thunderbolt!"

The yellow mouse nodded and unleashed his strongest attack. Those guys were his enemies, so no mercy. Cleffa cheered as the machine was fried and its owners along. The trio fell in the water and the vacuum threw them far away once again. Silver shook his head.

"Why did they attack now instead of waiting we were finished with the fight? Shall we do this and get over with it?"

Misty eagerly nodded. With the ruckus, her sisters were most likely on their way and she didn't want to be around them, really. Ash nodded.

"Pikachu, Tackle!"

Launched by surprise, the move was enough to finish Starmie. Misty nodded.

(End music)

"Alright, you earned the Cascade badge." She gave him a blue teardrop-shaped item. "Let's be off ..."

The team quickly ran outside the building the same way they came. Silver looked at the girl.

"You really hate them that much?"

"Yeah. I also promised I wouldn't come back until I became the greatest Water Master of the world."

"Start being the best in Kanto. Water specialists are quite common around the world ..."

The man had a point. Ash looked at him.

"What's our next stop?"

"Vermillion City. There's a Gym here and a luxury cruise ship that is quite a sight."

The kid nodded.

"Alright! Let's get going."

Brock nodded.

"It will take us several days to reach Vermilion City."

"We have time."

So they left Cerulean City as they had come, without anyone notice them. As Brock had planned, it would take them two weeks to reach Vermilion City. The journey went well until the group heard about a man called A. J., who was said to be a powerful Pokémon Trainer no one had ever defeated. Ash and Silver had a common point: when they heard about someone who said he was invincible, the two would often go and see if it was true. So they headed to A. J.'s arena. It wasn't really a Gym and hadn't been recognized as such, but it looked pretty much like one. As if the rumors weren't enough, an electric panel showed high and clear that the Trainer had ninety-eight victories and no losses. At all. Silver grinned.

"Undefeated, huh? Let's see about it."

Ash couldn't help but grin. Undefeated? As far as he knew, so was his mentor.

"Who wants to be my next victim?"

The group turned to see a teen with green hairs spiked in the front and wearing orange and black clothes. Silver looked at his student.

"You take him first?"

"Yeah, otherwise his Pokémon will be to weak for my fight."

"Alright, here you go. But remember. We're only here to test our skills. If yo lose, don't get mad. There will be other fights."

Ash nodded. A. J. led them to his arena. It was encircled by a high wooden fence and the ground was made with red trodden earth. A training dome was nearby. Misty was surprised.

"That's quite an arena."

A Butterfree picked the teen's bag, which contained all the wild Pokémon he had captured. At Silver's request, the teen agreed to let them see them after the fight. Ash and him stepped on the battlefield.

"Ready to become my ninety-ninth victory? Be warned, my fighting style is nothing like what you'll meet in the Pokémon League."

He drew a whip and swung it near his opponent. Reacting on instinct, Silver stepped between and wrapped the rope around his arm. His blue eyes were stuck in A. J.'s .

"Don't use that thing before me, got it?"

His tone was as cold as his eyes. The kid stepped a few feet away. Brock frowned but Ash explained.

"Silver is my father by heart. Whether he feels something's threatening me, he tends to react violently. And believe me, you wouldn't be around."

Silver stepped back.

"You two better start fighting now. You remind me of another kid I hate with quite a passion ..."

He was serious on that one. Even Ash wasn't fully reassured, so he came to the man and placed a hand on his forearm, his eyes asking for some kindness. Silver softened, a little. The two boys resumed facing each other.

(Play [Force your way](https://youtu.be/CZMWszd5SRk), Final Fantasy VIII)

"Sandshrew, go!"

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!"

The armadillo-like Pokémon faced Ash's Flying friend.

"Sandshrew, attack!"

"Pidgeotto, dodge and Feather Dance!"

The bird evaded Sandshrew's charge and spread downs on it, sharply decreasing his attack. Silver nodded.

"Jam-up and strike, eh?"

Ash nodded.

"Now, Wing Attack!"

Pidgeotto had practiced the technique with Odin for days. His training had been simple: Ash or Silver threw him things and he had to break them with his wings. From times to times, Silver would launch Aura Spheres to him or it would be Gaya who sent him a handful of leafs. The bird hardly missed. He flew to Sandshrew and hit it with all of his strength. The Pokémon was knocked away but quickly came back on his feet. Too quickly.

"Sandshrew, Tackle!"

Pidgeotto was still surprised that his opponent took his Wing Attack and got up so quickly. It was his downfall. The armadillo Pokémon hit him with such strength that he was thrown down the ground and knocked out cold. Ash gasped and Silver frowned.

"Pidgeotto, return! You did great enough. Butterfree, go!"

The butterfly Pokémon appeared.

"Butterfree, Stun Spore!"

"Sandshrew, Dig!"

The spores didn't reach underground. Ash frowned. Sandshrew could jump quite high and that's partially why Pidgeotto lost. He had to get Sandshrew out of his hole if he wanted to avoid another defeat.

"Butterfree, use Psychic to get it out!"

The pokémon nodded and his eyes glowed lightly. Sandshrew emerged from the ground, struggling against the mental grasp of its enemy.

"Now, use Whirlwind and chain with Tackle!"

"Sandshrew, Defense Curl!"

Butterfree did as ordered, but the armadillo Pokémon had curled into a ball and the offense was in vain. Its answer was a furious Fury Swipes that defeated the purple butterfly. Ash growled and Silver's frown deepened.

"He's good, that's a thing. But I hate how he taunts his opponent and uses his whip to order his pokémon."

Ash called for Cleffa, earning a surprised grin from A. J.

"What? Where's the other half? Are you so desperate that you resort to shrimps to defeat me? Are you kidding?"

"Facleffa clecle facle?" (Does he look like he's kidding?) Cleffa retorted.

Silver couldn't help but smile at the sight. A tiny Cleffa against a Sandshrew that took down a Butterfree and a Pidgeotto. There was no contest. Normally. But Cleffa wasn't exactly normal. He looked at A. J.

"Just to tell you, Cleffa's father is a Breloom, a half-Grass, half-Fighting type. If the girl inherited her mother's species, the rest definitely comes from her father."

Cleffa took her fighting stance and Ash grinned. He and the pink ball had a lot in common.

"Cleffa, Psyshock!"

The girl hurled a blob of psychic power, only for Sandshrew to dig underground. Ash growled.

"That trick again ..."

Cleffa had seen the fight from her poké-ball. She had also trained alongside the other Pokémon, especially Espera. The Espeon had sensed early her affinity for Psychic moves and started teaching her. Pikachu with Blitz, Butterfree with Gaya, Pidgeotto with Odin, Cleffa with Espera, just like Ash learned from Silver, his Pokémon learned from their elders. Cleffa focused on her enemy and managed to sense him. Here, a little to the right … There he came! She jumped out of the way before Sandshrew could Tackle her.

"Cleffa, use Return!"

Cleffa sent her punch hard in Sandshrew's exposed stomach, sending it reeling. A. J. growled.

"That was a strong attack. You two must be close for it to be efficient."

Ash nodded. For Return to really work, the Pokémon had to be very friendly with his Trainer. The more they got along, the more powerful the attack. And Cleffa was on par with Pikachu in Ash's friendship scale.

"But it ends here! Sandshrew, Rollout!"

Sandshrew curled into a ball and rammed into Cleffa, who was thrown away. Ash snarled, angry at his loss. He took Cleffa in his arms.

"You did great, Cleffa. Take some rest."

(End music)

Silver came to the kid.

"You fought well, Ash. Your skills aren't to blame in this battle. Now is my turn, but before, I want to see how you train your Pokémon."

So A. J. took them under the dome. A Butterfree was sparing with a Beedrill, several Rattata were going through trials such as jumping in a ring of fire or playing ball using another Sandshrew and the Sandshrew he used diving into a pool using a strength intensifier. Silver glared hardly at the scene and turned to his Ninetales.

"Lya, comparing my way to train and his, which do you prefer?"

Lya grinned.

"Yours goes all the way over his. Seriously, how could one have the idea to force a Ground pokémon into water? At least your routines are fun."

A. J. turned.

"What? Your Ninetales can talk?"

"Any of my Pokémon can. I taught them myself. And Lya isn't just 'my' Ninetales. She's my partner, just like Pikachu is Ash's partner. We work together, train together and fight together. Ready to lose, kiddo?"

A. J. didn't like the man's tone.

"You, be ready to lose."

Silver's eyes were icy cold. The two headed to the battlefield while Ash and his friends sat away.

"I have never seen Silver fight." Brock commented. "I wonder what his fighting style looks like."

Misty smiled.

"He's strong. At Viridian City, he used his Riolu alongside Ash's Pidgey to get rid of Team Rocket and he stopped a swarm of Beedrill with only his Articuno."

Ash looked at them and smiled.

"In Pallet Town, Silver is absolutely undefeated. I have seen him fight a few times. He won some of his battles with Lya using just a single attack."

(Play [Axel F](https://youtu.be/t0nxKPBiceo), Crazy Frog)

A. J. called for Sandshrew, Butterfree, Beedrill and Rattata.

"I'll start with Rattata. Are you ready?"

Silver turned to Lya.

"You want to beat them all or I keep you for his armadillo?"

"Sandshrew is mine alone. The others can take care of the kid's buggers."

"Alright. Riyo, here you go!"

The little Riolu smiled.

"At last some action! What? That's all?"

He gave the Rattata a weird look before looking at his master.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No. The kid's Pokémon are stronger than they look."

"We'll see about it."

A. J. gave the Pokémon a weird look.

"What is that?"

"A Riolu I raised and trained myself. Don't underestimate him."

The teen grinned.

"Really? You seem pretty confident. Rattata, Super Fang!"

Riyo looked at the blow coming and dodged at the last second.

"Riyo, Spinning Whip Kick!"

The Riolu landed on his hand and span so that his feet collided with the rat Pokémon's jaw.

"Chain with Iron Tail!"

Using his momentum, the Pokémon hardened his tail and slammed it in Rattata. Ash flinched when he thought he heard bones crack.

"Finish with Focus Punch!"

Riyo's fists glowed white and he punched his opponent hard. Even with his hard training, the Rattata was completely K-O. A. J. couldn't believe it.

"What the heck was that?"

"My way to fight when I want to win. You see, there's something I totally dislike about you. Your arrogance for one, and then the way you threat your Pokémon. If I were alone, your whip would have been sliced to pieces and you would have received a good beating. But I'll settle for a humiliation on that one."

Alright … Said like this, the teen understood Silver wasn't kidding. The man recalled Riyo.

"You did a perfect job, boy. You can rest."

Riyo merely stretched. A. J. turned to Butterfree.

"Butterfree, go!"

"Espera, here you come!"

The Espeon got out and faced the purple Butterfree. Ash, Misty and Brock frowned. Riyo had defeated Rattata very easily and, according to Ash, it was Silver's weakest Pokémon. If this was true, they would hate to see his strongest at work … Espera glared at the butterfly Pokémon.

"Butterfree, Poison Powder!"

Silver just nodded and Espera summoned a psychic barrier that kept the powder away. A. J. grinned. In this fight, he had the advantage … or so he thought.

"Butterfree, Bug Buzz!"

Silver frowned.

"Espera, withstand it and use Morning Sun."

The pink cat nodded and let the sound waves affect us. The kids were surprised at the tactic.

"Espera is a Psychic-type. An attack the power of Bug Buzz should be devastating!"

"For a regular Espeon, maybe." Espera retorted. "But Lya, Blitz and I have been with Silver for ages." She glared at her opponent. "I challenged a Salamence and defeated him single-handily. A Butterfree is nothing to me."

She used Morning Sun to restore her health and lit her jewel. Silver grinned.

"Psychic and finish it with your special attack."

"Gladly."

The Butterfree never saw the blow coming. He was shaken like a plum tree and the dizziness that resulted caused him to see Espera's final attack way too late.

"Psychic Whip-Tail!"

The Espeon's tail glowed white and was surrounded by psychic power. The result was an attack that made the butterfly Pokémon crash into the ground. A. J. was stunned.

"What the heck was that attack?"

"An Iron Tail attack powered by psychic power to make it more powerful. As you can see, I have the habit of making my own attacks."

Ash grinned. Inventing his own attacks … That wasn't a bad idea at all. Brock whistled.

"Now I see who Ash takes his fighting style from. He and Silver are exactly the same. Charge in like a Tauros and don't stop till one is down."

A. J. snarled and sent out Beedrill. Silver nodded and sent out Gaya. Here again, he was at a disadvantage, but it seemed advantage and disadvantage meant nothing to the man. The Meganium stretched.

"At last some action!"

A. J. ordered a Poison Jab Gaya easily caught and threw down.

"Is that all? My turn! Petal Dance!"

She emitted a cloud of pink petals as sharp as razors that trapped and slashed Beedril.

"Now! Solar Beam!"

Take that. The blast of focused light burnt the bee's chitin very badly. One whip vine later, It had lost. Now A. J. was furious.

"What did you give to your Pokémon to make them that strong? That's inhuman!"

"No more than what you do to yours. Get your Sandshrew ready, Lya's getting impatient."

The teen was furious. Who did that guy think he was to trash his hard-trained Pokémon like they were nothing but wimps?

"Alright, Sandshrew! Let's show him how strong we are!"

Silver shook his head.

"Lya, let him do his thing. I want to teach that brat what real strength is."

Lya nodded and stepped before her friend. Sandshrew unleashed its strongest attack, but Rollout, Fury Swipes, Dig and even Tackle were useless. It was as if the Ninetales was made of tempered steel. Silver nodded.

"Alright, my turn."

Ash narrowed his eyes, tense. He knew the fox Pokémon was insanely strong. He just didn't know how much.

"Lya, start with Fire Blast."

A. J.'s eyes widened when he saw the amount of flame the Ninetales gathered in her mouth.

"Sandshrew, Dig quickly!"

The armadillo Pokémon obeyed and dug a hole the moment a geyser of fire was launched from Lya's mouth. The kid himself had to jump aside to avoid incineration. Silver shook his head.

"Dig, huh? Lya, Flamethrower in the hole."

Lya obeyed. Two seconds later, Sandshrew was jumping out in emergency. The man grinned.

"Now! Lya, Vulcan Hammer!"

The four kids raised a brow.

"Vulcan Hammer? What's this attack?" Brock asked.

Silver had a victorious smile.

"A variation of the Iron Tail attack. As you know, Ninetales have nine tails instead of one, which means they can use more than one tail for Iron Tail. When using Vulcan Hammer, Lya uses Iron Tail with her nine tails and cloaks them with fire, just like Espera cloaks her tail with psychic power to perform Psychic Whip-Tail."

Misty gulped.

"Must be painful ..."

"Lya can break thick steel slates in a single strike with it."

"Ouch ..."

Indeed, Protect wasn't enough to save Sandshrew from the nine steel-sharp, blazing appendages. It was thrown to the wooden fence, the force of the strike digging a nice hole in it. Was it needed to say the Pokémon was unable to battle? Silver looked at A. J., who was totally disgusted.

(End music)

"Invincible, eh? Remember this, kiddo: 'invincible' is just a word. There's always someone stronger than you out there. For now, I've yet to meet mine. I guess I'm just lucky ..."

He turned to the trio.

"Let's go."

After such a display of power, no one had the heart to say no. No one wanted to do so either when you look at it. On the way, Ash breathed.

"I knew he was strong, but that much ..."

Misty shook her head.

"This is insane! I've watched tournaments before. This guy is at least the level of an Elite Four, no joking!"

"And you say he never told you where he came from." Brock frowned.

"Never. He's a real mystery, even to me."

They later learned that A. J. finally got his one hundredth victory against the Team Rocket trio after they tried to steal his Pokémon. Sweet revenge is sweet, even if it wasn't against the man who had humiliated him to badly. But for now, the group had other problems. After seeing Lya's signature move, Pikachu and Cleffa harassed the Ninetales until she finally surrendered and taught them Iron Tail. One morning he woke up earlier than usual, Ash saw Silver dancing bare-chested in the grass, his two swords in hand. The moves were perfectly controlled and chained in a dance that had no beginning or end. The boy didn't immediately notice he was following the man's moves until he turned to him. Awoken for awoken, the kid came to his mentor.

"That was impressive. What was it?"

"An old form of swordsmanship called Blade Dancing. I always practice in the morning to remain in shape."

Ash looked at Silver, a soft smile on his face.

"It sounds great."

"Interested?"

The kid held his hands in his back and smiled sheepishly.

"A little ..."

Silver shook his head.

"I'm reluctant about teaching you to use a sword. It's kinda out of vogue. But I can teach you martial arts."

Ash's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yep. One can practice sport alongside being a Trainer. Even more, it will make you able to train alongside your Pokémon during our sessions.

Ash eagerly nodded. His adoptive father grinned.

"Alright, let's start with some running. You need to increase your stamina. And besides, it will make you feel better."

Since he was young and untrained, they only ran for ten minutes so not to get too exhausted. After this, Silver showed his student some stretching and limbering exercises. Ash gladly obliged in them. His mentor was right. It made him feel better. Then, the man started teaching him. The first thing he taught the kid was Taichi. This form of martial art was the base he wanted to give him, as it taught Ash to control both his body and his breath. It was slow and soft, a little like a mean to relax after an effort. This became the two's morning routine.

Misty and Brock would often wake up to see them train silently together, like a master and his apprentice. And it was what the two were. Once their training was over, they would take their breakfast with their friends and help with the daily chores, then they would start walking again and, once midday was reached and lunch was eaten, they would train their Pokémon. Misty joined them at that moment. Her only Pokémon were Goldeen, Staryu and Starmie, but it wasn't a problem. Using his powers, Silver could easily create a pool of water where the fish pokémon could work at ease. Those were great times.

One day, the group has lost itself in the fog and had most likely gone astray. Ash suddenly saw something.

"Here, there's light this way!"

The group turned. It was true. Something shining across the mist. They headed this way, only to see a boy in a suit running on a treadmill. There were other people asking him questions about Pidgey and its evolutions. The boy managed to answer most of them but one failure made him trip and he fell from the machine. When looking closer, it appeared the other persons were teens a little older than the boy, and all of them were holding candles, hence the light. When the boys started to bully their comrades, Silver sent Lya among them. The Ninetales jumped and growled, scaring the boys. Ash joined Lya.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

The boys glared at him.

"Hey, get outta here! This is a private training session! Punks like you have nothing to do in out Private Pokémon School!"

Silver joined Ash's side.

"Private Pokémon School? Oh, you mean this stupid Pokémon Technical Institute. I heard about it. This school forms Trainers and guarantee them an entry in the League without having to collect badges. It has quite a reputation but, since it's quite expensive, only rich kids can get here. No wonder you guys are just a bunch of arrogant empty-headed brats ..."

The students choked.

"What did you just call us!-?"

Silver just glared at them and the air seemed to lose a few degrees. Adding with Lya's toothy grin and Ash's hard eyes, they quickly understood the two were not in a good mood and challenging them would be a bad idea.

"You're lucky we don't want to fight."

They left on this, a hateful glare sent to the two. Silver sent them back this glare.

" _You_ , be happy I'm no more angry than that."

Ash helped the bullied kid rise to his feet. The fog faded to reveal the school in all of his splendor. It was a huge Victorian-style manor with a park, a pool and a forest. The kid looked at the two.

"Thanks. My name is Joe."

"I'm Ash and this is my mentor, Silver. The two over here are my friends, Brock and Misty."

Silver frowned.

"What were you doing with these guys?"

"Training. I was learning how Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto at lv.18 and that it learns Whirlwind at lv.17 and Wing Attack at lv.33 ..."

"Level and so on don't matter when you're training Pokémon." Silver retorted. "A good Trainer can very well have a Cleffa learn Iron Tail at a very early stage while a bad Trainer will never manage to teach a Rattata Quick Attack. I speak from experience, and this is something you don't learn in schools."

Brock nodded.

"Silver is right. Studying is good, but practice is something no Trainer can do without. I've seen Ash, Misty and Silver train together during afternoons and I even joined them. They don't need to go to school to be strong."

Silver frowned.

"What level are you, Joe? You look like you know a lot more than you let people think."

"That's right. But if I let the others know about it, the tests will become harder and I'll fail, so I fake my strength. Actually, I'm in beginner class, which is the equivalent of a Trainer with two badges."

Ash turned to Misty and suddenly grinned.

"Really? I got an idea. Misty used to be the Gym Leader of Cerulean City. Since you've studied a lot, why don't you try a real battle for once?"

Joe looked at the girl.

"Misty? I beat her on a daily basis on the simulator with my Weepinbell. Alright, challenge accepted!"

Silver turned to Misty.

"Go easy on him, girl."

The red head simply grinned. The two faced each other.

(Play [Dragon boy](https://youtu.be/2CzIuBo2p-g), from Joe Hisaishi)

"Weepinbell, go!"

"Staryu, I choose you!"

The Star-Shape Pokémon faced its rival. Weepinbell looked like a yellow flycatcher with red 'lips' and two round eyes. Silver turned to Joe and nodded, signaling him to start the hostilities.

"Weepinbell, Acid!"

"Staryu, Water Gun!"

The corrosive attack was countered by the burst of water. Worst, it gave Staryu's attack a power boost by merging with it. Weepinbell was blasted away so fast only Ash and Silver saw it flying. The man turned to the young student.

"Trainer Rule Number 2: never trust type advantages. Pokémon type is nothing compared to battle experience."

(End music)

"He is right."

The group turned to see a very pretty girl with long brown hairs and a soft face. Ash and Brock immediately started blushing … until Lya gave then a sharp slap in the head with her tails. The girl looked at the junior student.

"My poor Joe, you really are the shame of this school. You are totally helpless."

Silver frowned, not phased at all by the girl's charm.

"Who are you, miss?"

The girl gave her most shining smile.

"I am the best student of the beginner's class of the most prestigious school in the world. I know everyone envies my beauty, my talent, my charm and my intelligence, and especially my modesty. But what can I do? I am Giselle."

Silver's eyes widened at the show before setting on Lya. The Ninetales twisted one of her toes on the side of her head, a gesture usually meaning "She's crazy ...". The man turned to Ash who looked at him with a brow raised in confusion. Giselle went to Joe.

"My friends and I are doing out best to tutor the younger students of this school and make them even better Trainers, but you, my pour Joe, are a failure. You better make some progress unless you want your friends to turn their back on you and you find yourself alone."

Joe gasped. Ash looked at his friends and mentor and came to the boy's side.

"Don't cry. If that happens, it simply means those guys weren't your real friends and you're better off without them."

Misty nodded.

"You're right. When I see this girl, I remember a saying: never judge a book by its cover. This girl may look pretty outside, but inside, she's all rotten."

Giselle flinched.

"Are you insulting me?"

"What if she is?" Silver asked. "Besides, as ugly as it is, truth can never be an insult, only a statement."

The girl turned slowly to the two.

"I see. Then this calls for a duel."

Silver stepped back.

"I have no time to lose with people like you. Misty, want to take that challenge on?"

"Hell yes ..."

Giselle giggled.

"So be it. To fight against your water Pokémon, I choose Graveler!"

Misty frowned. For having trained with Silver and Ash, she knew very well the rule Silver had mentioned. It was why Staryu trained with Gaya while Starmie worked with Lya. So far, she had never managed to beat the Grass or Fire Pokémon.

"Graveler, attack!"

"Staryu, dodge and use Swift!"

The huge moving boulder jumped at the Water creature but Staryu jumped and unleashed a flurry of glowing stars. Unfortunately, the attack was useless against the Rock-type's Rollout attack. The shock was so hard Staryu's core was broken and thrown into the pool. Misty was stunned. Once she regained her senses, she ran at the pool and retrieved her fallen Pokémon. Silver glared at Giselle. Ash's eyes were just as angry. No one humiliated his friends and got out with it. He turned to Silver who nodded.

"Giselle!" He stepped. "I challenge you!"

"What? And who are you exactly, young man?"

"My name is Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town. Misty is my friend and no one insults her without going through me!"

"Really? Let me ask you, how long has it been since you started your journey?"

"Roughly a month."

"A month and you still leave your Pikachu outside? Is it because you cannot train him or he is the one who trains you?"

Ash snarled. That's official, he hated this girl.

"None of that. Pikachu just doesn't like to stay inside and I respect his choice. He is my friend, just like Butterfree, Pidgeotto and Cleffa are!"

"What? You only have four Pokémon? Usually, people like you with two badges have six Pokémon already. I suppose you got lucky. And besides, Pikachu is a very poor choice of a starter. It's very hard to tame, everybody knows that. They are better as girls' pets."

She started berating about her knowledge of Pikachu and her evolution, Raichu, but Silver stopped her.

"Will you just shut up? Your voice is annoying. Besides, Pikachu is the evolved for of another pokémon. Do you know it?"

Giselle looked at the man, surprised.

"What? Pikachu is an evolved form? Who told you such nonsense?"

Silver had a half-grin and turned to Ash who closed his eyes.

"Pichu, the Tiny Mouse pokémon. A baby Pokémon, it evolves into Pikachu when leveled up with high friendship. They are unskilled at controlling their electric power and releases them often by accident, shocking people around or, even at times, themselves."

"Exactly."

Brock was surprised.

"Wow, I didn't think you had such knowledge."

Silver grinned.

"I was the one who taught it to Ash. He was curious about Pikachu and its evolution line, just like he is curious about each of his Pokémon friends. So I told him. He is a better student than he let think."

Giselle was speechless. She growled.

"Alright, enough talk. Time for a battle! Cubone!"

(Play [The man with the machine gun](https://youtu.be/3jho-peCAKs), from Final Fantasy VIII)

Ash turned to Pikachu who nodded and jumped. Being Electric-type, the mouse was in troubles. But after hard training sessions with Lya and the others, the yellow mouse had mastered several non-electric attacks he kept specially for situations like that.

"Cubone, Leer!"

"Pikachu, close your eyes!"

The mouse obeyed and the attack failed. It was the best counter the two had found so far and it was a little risky, but Pikachu was fast, especially after Gaya spent half an hour launching Razor Leafs at him everyday. Giselle smiled.

"What a stupid move. Cubone, Bonemerang!"

The little Pokémon threw his bone to Pikachu who jumped.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail on the bone club!"

The bone club was making its way back. Pikachu turned his tail iron-hard and hit the weapon, giving it even more strength than Cubone expected. The little pokémon was hit in the face by its own weapon and it turned its mask, blocking its vision. This is why it didn't see Pikachu coming with a Quick Attack. Giselle was stunned. This weak yellow mouse defeated her Cubone without taking any hit! Silver nodded at his student.

(End music)

"Well done, boy."

"Thanks!"

Joe was impressed.

"Your Pikachu knows some amazing attacks! I have never seen one win otherwise than with an electric attack!"

Ash grinned.

"You can win against a Rock or Ground Pokémon with a lightning attack. All you have to do is weaken it with water. This is how I won my first badge."

The group smiled as they remembered Ash's lightning-fast victory against Brock and his Onix. Silver smiled.

"Ash let Pikachu learn those attacks for situations like this where Pikachu couldn't use his electric powers. Looks like it worked."

It seemed the fight had given Giselle some sense of modesty. Joe left the Pokémon School and decided to collect badges while the group followed its own path. Silver was quite proud of his student. Ash was getting stronger everyday. If things kept going, he would become a Champion in no time.


	5. Friends and foes alike

Tell everybody I'm on my way,  
New friends and new places to see.  
With blue skies ahead, yes I'm on my way  
And there's nowhere else that I'd rather be

Tell everybody I'm on my way  
And I'm loving every step I take.  
With the sun beating down, yes I'm on my way,  
And I can't keep this smile off my face

'Cause there's nothing like seeing each other again  
No matter what's the distance between,  
And the stories that we tell will make you smile.  
Oh, it really lifts my heart!

So tell 'em all I'm on my way,  
New friends and new places to see.  
And to sleep under the stars, who could ask for more?  
With the moon keeping watch over me.

Not the snow, not the rain can change my mind,  
The sun will come out,wait and see.  
And the feeling of the wind in your face can lift your heart.  
Oh, there's nowhere I would rather be!

'Cause I'm on my way now,  
Well and truly.  
I'm on my way now …  
[On my way](https://youtu.be/EKphgamhPrw), Phil Collins

Ash was making good progress on the path to mastery. His bond with his four friends grew stronger every passing day, much to Silver's pleasure. Pikachu and Cleffa were powerhouses while Butterfree and Pidgeotto had become aerial experts. The tailed man was surprised that Cleffa and Pidgeotto hadn't evolved yet. Brock and Misty were doing fine. Misty was growing strong thanks to the time she spent with Ash and Silver and Brock learned a lot from his elder about the different Pokémon.

Today, the group was walking through a large patch of high grass. Ash had wanted to take a shortcut to reach Viridian City faster … and ended having the group lost. Needless to say Misty wasn't so happy with it.

"I told you it wasn't a good idea to take that shortcut. Why do you have to be so stubborn? Now we're lost and I'm starting to get tired!"

Ash sheepishly lowered his head. The girl wasn't wrong. They were lost. As if it wasn't enough, several stomachs started to growl. Loudly. Silver noticed a forest.

"We should stop and rest here. The sun is high and the afternoon promises to get warm. Let's take a break."

The four settled under the trees and Silver and Brock prepared their lunch while Ash and Misty were tending their Pokémon. They were about to eat when the bushes shook and an Oddish appeared. Lya raised a brow.

"Looks like we're not the only empty stomachs around."

The Oddish had a round dark blue body with several leafs serving as its hairs, two small feet and a face on its body. Misty looked at it with envy.

"You want to catch it." Ash smiled.

"You don't want to?"

"I don't know. A Grass Pokémon would be a good addition to my team. Besides, your specialty is more Water Pokémon, right?"

Misty thought a moment.

"I'll take it. As a compensation for you having us lost."

Silver grinned while the girl called Starmie.

"Starmie, Water Gun! And chain with Tackle!"

The Star Shape Pokémon obeyed and knocked its opponent out. Misty launched a poké-ball, only for a vine to push it back. Another Pokémon emerged and stood protectively in front of the Oddish. Ash's eyes widened.

"A Bulbasaur!"

He turned to his friend and grinned.

"You take the Oddish and I take this one?"

"Deal."

"Alright. Butterfree, go!"

Starmie and Butterfree stood side by side, ready to face this surprise enemy.

"Butterfree, Poison Powder!"

"Starmie, Swift!"

Bulbasaur countered Swift using its vines and blew away the Poison Powder with a powerful breath. Bufferfree fell down, caught in his own attack. Before Misty could retaliated with Starmie, the Grass Pokémon tackled its opponent hard before taking the Oddish and fleeing. Silver frowned.

"Now that's something new ..."

Ash turned to him.

"Do we go after them?"

"Why not? I can tell there's something behind Bulbasaur's behavior. I'd like to know more about it. Bulbasaur are hard to find in the wild since they are starter Pokémon used by Trainers. However, it always happens that Trainers abandon their Pokémon."

They finished eating and followed the traces of the two Pokémon to a bridge connecting two cliffs. They were halfway through it when the wind blew strongly and the ropes holding the passage together broke. Silver reacted in the minute and grabbed Brock before he could fall in the raging river below. Ash also managed to hold on but Misty wasn't so lucky. She was about to dive when Ash's reflexes kicked and he held her hand. Silver frowned. It was the third time his pupil reacted so quickly. After much troubles, the group reached the other side.

"Close call ..." Silver shivered.

"Talk about it." Misty growled. "Weren't it for Ash, I would have fallen in the torrent. Brrr ..."

They kept following the trail until the ground gave away under Brock and he fell in a hole. Gaya took him out.

"A trap. The mystery behind Oddish and Bulbasaur thickens."

Silver called Riyo to use his Aura Senses to avoid the traps set on the group's path. However, his feet was caught in a rope that activated a net trap. The whole group was caught in it.

"God damn the hell it!"

Misty raised a brow at Silver's cursing.

"He does that often?"

"Only when he's really angry." Ash answered. He growled. "We have to get outta here! Does someone have a knife?"

Silver grinned.

"I have way better."

He took one of his swords and cut swiftly through the net. The group dusted itself and was about to start walking when a girl appeared. She had dark blue hairs and a red dress.

"What are you doing here?"

Brock blushed immediately.

"Wow! She's beautiful!"

Misty held him before he could make a move.

"Brock, if you try anything with this woman, I yank your ear out, got it?"

Silver chuckled. Brock had the habit to enter 'romantic mode' every time he saw a pretty girl. It was mainly Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy but, on some rare occasions, it would be women who were somewhat charming and nice. The man had to admit the girl before them fit in that category. Ash stepped to her.

"We were following a Bulbasaur and an Oddish. Do you know where they went?"

The girl nodded.

"Yes. Follow me, please."

She took them to a small wooden hut near the river, who had quieted down.

"My name is Melanie. I am the keeper of the Hidden Village, a place where wounded and abandoned Pokémon go find some rest. The traps you met were here to discourage the Trainers who want to capture these Pokémon."

Misty looked away.

"Well, they worked."

Silver nodded.

"Since this place is a resting one, we better not try to catch any Pokémon unless we want to meet the wrath of this Bulbasaur ..."

Ash nodded.

"He is strong. I wish he would join me."

Melanie shook her head.

"Unfortunately, I don't think this is going to happen. Bulbasaur was abandoned by its Trainer. I found him half-dead quite some time ago and brought him back to health. Ever since he is distrustful of humans and has volunteered to protect the village. This is why he attacked you."

Ash looked at the Pokémon with sadness in his eyes. He clenched his hands.

"Trainers who release Pokémon simply because they are weak aren't worth of being called Trainers. The task of a Trainer is to catch Pokémon and help them grow stronger by training with them. Those who abandon their Pokémon aren't Trainers, only Fighters."

Melanie was touched by these words. Silver looked at his student with a glimmer in his eyes. The boy was definitely getting wiser. Bulbasaur looked at this Trainer who had tried to capture him. Was his words true? Did he really mean what he said? The Starter Pokémon couldn't tell. Silver sat on a rock and Lya smiled.

"Lesson time."

Melanie and the group sat before the man, listening. Silver started speaking.

"Ash is righter than he thinks. There are nine main specialties, or Trainer Categories, acknowledged in the Pokémon World. Those categories are Fighter, Trainer, Catcher, Evolver, Exchanger, Healer, Breeder, Coordinator and Connoisseur. Each Trainer fits in at least one of them but most fit in several."

The man closed his eyes.

" **Fighters** are Trainers who have a gift for Pokémon battles. They instinctively know their opponent's moves and are able to make decisions in the spur of the moment to turn the tables in their favor. **Trainers** are Trainers that are able to bring out the best of any Pokémon through hard training, no matter the Pokémon's level and appearance. They are usually a little Fighters on the edge. **Catchers** are Trainers who can catch any Pokémon, no matter how rare or hard it is. However, because of this, they aren't really good Trainers or Fighters since they can't focus on a definite Pokémon Team. **Evolvers** have a great knowledge of Pokémon and are fast at evolving them to their final stage. Trainer and Evolver often go hand in hand, but not always. **Exchangers** are Trainers who are knowledgeable about Pokémon exchange and got most of their Pokémon through exchange, or simply had them evolved through it. This category counts few people. **Healers** are people who share a special link with their Pokémon and are able to feel what they feel. The strongest of them can even heal them literally, but this ability is very rare. To sum it up, Healers are Trainers who are completely 'in tune' with their Pokémon. **Breeders** are Trainers gifted in hatching and raising Pokémon. More than a Category, it is actually a job just like any others. **Coordinators** are people who favor beauty over strength and train their Pokémon to enter Contests. They are a little special and aren't really Fighters. Finally, **Connoisseurs** are similar to Coordinators in that they can define the compatibility between a Trainer and his Pokémon instead of being fighting Trainers. They are mainly found in Unova."

The group was intently listening to the man. Silver hardly gave lessons like that, preferring to let Ash and his friends learn through experience.

"As I said, each Trainer fits in at least one category. Ash is both a Fighter, a Healer and a Trainer. He can turn even cute and harmless Pokémon like a Cleffa into powerhouses, has a gift at putting fights when he has to and can easily connect to any Pokémon he meets. Misty is the same. Finally, Brock is both a Breeder, a Healer and a Fighter."

"How about Gary?" Ash asked.

Silver grinned.

"I was wondering when you'd ask. Knowing your rival, I'd say Gary is a Fighter, a Trainer and a Catcher. But since I don't know of his whereabouts after he started his journey, I can't tell more."

The man rose from his seat. The lesson was finished. Misty grinned.

"That was interesting!"

Ash strongly nodded. Brock smiled.

"Silver's knowledge doesn't stop amazing me. I wonder how an adventurer could know so much. He doesn't look that old."

Misty nodded. Though his real age was unknown, Silver seemed to be in his early thirties. The girl noticed the Oddish she had tried to capture and came to it.

"Oddish?"

The little creature turned to her. Misty knelt to its level.

"I am sorry for trying to capture you earlier. I caught you by surprise and it was very low of me."

The Oddish looked at the girl, listening.

"If I knew you were sick, I wouldn't have tried to do such thing. Ash is right. People who abandon Pokémon simply because they're weak aren't worth being called Trainers. I hope you find a Trainer who will take care of you."

Oddish had a small smile and caressed Misty's cheek with his leafs. The move surprised her, but her surprise was even greater when the little being snuggled against her.

"What?"

"Oddish. Oddish."

Silver looked at her.

"It seems Oddish has found the Trainer he was looking for."

Misty looked at the Grass Pokémon.

"Really?"

Oddish nodded. Misty smiled.

"Alright, then. Welcome in the team."

She held a poké-ball the little being tapped. The sphere didn't even shake. Bulbasaur looked at the scene, worry in his eyes. Silver noticed it and simply looked at him, smiling. The glare seemed enough to reassure Bulbasaur for he stepped aside with a "Saur." He turned to Ash, who was congratulating Misty for his catch and slowly went to him. Ash had released his Pokémon to take some air, so the Starter Pokémon came to them and started speaking. Ash turned to Lya.

"What do they say?"

The Ninetales smirked.

"Bulbasaur is curious about you, so he's asking your Pokémon. Your words intrigued him. He wants to know if you actually mean them."

"I do. Really. And I'm sure any of my Pokémon will agree to that."

It seems the Grass Pokémon was satisfied with the answers he got, for he looked at Ash with less hostile eyes. Ash smiled and nodded just like Silver did as a sign of friendship. Suddenly, the clouds went away to reveal a giant platform lifted by balloons. The familiar faces and the ridiculous motto left no doubts regarding the newcomers' identity.

"Team Rocket!"

"Them again." Lya growled. "A shame I can't use my fire attacks. I have yet to roast them."

A giant vacuum started sucking the Pokémon. Brock frowned.

"Everyone in the cabin!"

Everyone ran in the wooden house but Oddish was sucked. Misty yelled.

"Oddish!"

She was about to recall him when Bulbasaur launched a whip vine and caught the Pokémon. Most of them were safe, but the Grass-Poison type was still outside and even with his strength, he was being sucked. Ash growled.

"No, you don't!"

He pushed Bulbasaur inside the cabin and left Brock close the door behind. The Pokémon turned to the boy, gratitude in his eyes. Silver frowned.

"We have to stop them! They're trying to suck the roof of the house!"

Ash nodded.

"I'll take care of it. Pidgeotto!"

The flying Pokémon appeared. Bulbasaur jumped at his side. Ash looked at him, surprised.

"What? You want to fight too?"

The Seed creature nodded. Together, they jumped out of hiding. Bulbasaur smacked the hose around using his vines while Ash ordered Pidgeotto to use Gust. The attack turned into a small tornado that took the evil trio away. Silver smiled.

"Good riddance."

Lya sighed.

"Next time, they're mine. Alone."

The group chuckled. Right, ever since they met Team Rocket, the Ninetales had never managed to land an attack on them. It had kinda become a running gag, much like Brock's romantic interest for pretty girls. Bulbasaur turned to Ash and started speaking. Lya translated.

"Bulbasaur asks you if you'd like him in your team. He has seen you fight to protect the inhabitants of this village and has heard your words about Trainers who abandon Pokémon. Even though he was abandoned and doesn't like humans, he is willing to start again with you."

Ash looked at the creature, surprised.

"Really? You're sure?"

"Bulbasaur."

"Alright."

The boy took a poké-ball and let his new friend trap himself in it. The group left the village after bidding goodbye to Melanie and the other Pokémon. Silver smiled.

"It seems taking shortcuts has some good sides."

Misty nodded.

"Right. If Ash didn't have us lost, we would have never found this village and we would have never met Oddish and Bulbasaur."

It soon appeared that Ash's new friend was powerful in his own rights. Powerful and determined, just like his Trainer. He and Gaya being Grass types, the two spent a lot of time together and the Meganium taught the young starter new attacks such as Giga Drain and Energy Ball. Soon, he was able to fight toes to toes with Pikachu, Cleffa and Pidgeotto, much to Ash's pleasure. The group was passing by a stone when a terrifying shadow scared Misty. The girl, as always in such situation, jumped behind Ash. Ash gave the Pokémon a look.

"What is that?"

Upon closer inspection, it seemed it was just a sunbathing Charmander. The creature yawned and looked at the group, mildly interested. Pikachu came to it.

"Pika? Pikapichu pikachu pika-pi? Pipika pichu." (Hello? What are you doing here on this rock? You don't look alright.)

Charmander looked at the yellow mouse.

"Cha charmander-cha. Cha-cha charmander mander der." (I'm waiting for my Trainer. He said he will pick me up later.)

Lya translated the conversation. Silver frowned.

"Pikachu's right. This little one looks rather weak." He looked at Charmander. "Are you sure you want to wait here? There's a Center nearby. We can take you here to restore your health before returning you here."

"Cha char." (No thanks.)

"Alright."

The group left the Charmander behind, but not before Ash gave it one last look. He fully remembered the night before he started his journey, during which he and his surrogate father talked about what Starter Pokémon he would get. He had said Squirtle and Silver had said Charmander fit him better, according to him. They quickly reached the Center, only for the rain to start. After settling in, the group gathered around a hot meal made of rice and chicken curry. As they ate, Ash couldn't help but see the worry on Brock's face.

"Hey, Brock. Is there something wrong?"

"Maybe. I wonder if Charmander's Trainer got him back."

Silver looked outside. While the Center was warm and a bright fire was burning in the chimney, the rain outside had turned into a storm. He found himself hoping the Fire Pokémon had found a good haven if his Trainer didn't get him back. Ash smiled.

"Don't worry, no real Trainer would leave his Pokémon out by such a storm."

The sound of laughing caught his ear. A group of boys had gathered around a Trainer with blue hairs and a pink shirt. The guy was boasting about the seventeen Pokémon he had caught, which amazed the hanger-ons. One of them asked about a Charmander he had, only for the boy, Damian, to say the little Pokémon was too weak for his taste so he left him on a rock, promising he would return for him, something he had no intention of doing. Ash's blood froze in his veins. Silver turned to him.

"What did you say, already?"

Ash's eyes narrowed.

"I stand by my words. If this guy is Charmander's owner, he doesn't deserve being called a Trainer."

"Then prove him."

Ash folded his sleeves and turned the visor of his cap. Brock's fists were clenched just as hard and Misty shivered. When Ash turned his cap, there were troubles ahead. The boys went to Damian, anger in their eyes. Brock grabbed the arrogant teen by the collar.

"Go get him."

"What?"

Ash growled.

"Your Charmander is waiting for you. Go get him back. Or do you want it to die?"

"What tells you I don't?"

Ash had to control himself for not punching the kid.

"You're unworthy of being called a Trainer. I should battle you but you would be a waste of time. People like you make me want to puke."

Silver's eyes widened. It was the first time he heard his adoptive son use such hard words. Damian growled.

"What the … You want to fight, is that it?"

"I would gladly take you here and now if it wasn't forbidden. Come on, Brock. Let's leave him. We need to take care of Charmander."

Brock nodded, but not before giving Damian a murderous look. The teen snorted … and met Silver's icy-cold eyes. He gulped and retreated. Nurse Joy, who had been listening, nodded.

"I'll prepare the materials to save Charmander. Be careful."

Silver nodded.

"Ash and I will go with Blitz. Brock and Misty, go help Nurse Joy. We'll be back soon."

Master and student quickly rode the Zebstrika to the rock where Charmander was resting. They were just in time. The little Pokémon was protecting itself with a large leaf and its flame was small and weak. As if it wasn't enough, a flock of Spearows had found the creature to their taste and decided to hunt it. Ash's eyes widened.

"No, you don't! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu nodded and unleashed his lightning attack. Just like his Trainer, he had a certain distaste for Spearows after their little adventure near Viridian City. The attack fried the predatory birds to a crisp, causing Silver to smile.

"Spearows aren't as good as Pidgeys or Farfetch'd, but they can still make good dishes if cooked correctly. Want to try?"

"Charmander first!"

Silver nodded and took off his cape. He carefully wrapped it on the unconscious Pokémon and grabbed two dead Spearows along. Ash said nothing. He was used to his mentor's habits of hunting. Thanks to Blitz's speed, they were quickly back at the Center. Nurse Joy gasped when she saw the state of the orange starter.

"Great Legendaries! We must take care of him quickly!"

Silver frowned.

"Put him in the chimney's fire. I'll have Lya keep it burning."

He took off Gaya.

"Gaya, Aromatherapy on him right now."

Gaya nodded and emitted a powder that swept over the creature. The group spent the rest of the night watching over it. As the storm wore off, they fell asleep. Next morning saw them wake up with a start, and this for a good reason: Charmander had disappeared.

"He has most likely returned to the rock waiting for Damian." Lya suggested. "Starter Pokémon can be very loyal to their Trainer."

The group sighed. There was nothing they could do about it. They left the Center but didn't go far until Team Rocket ambushed them with a hidden hole and a plastic balloon specially made to capture Pikachu. The Electric Pokémon growled. Since lightning was useless against plastic, he better use his other set of moves. A sharp Iron Tail was enough to break out of the trap while Ash and Silver got the group out using Gaya and Bulbasaur. A Leaf Blade combo ripped the rubber uniform, allowing Pikachu to unleash his wrath with a Thunderbolt. The Team Rocket trio ran away … and met with Charmander. The little creature was in a bad mood. How dared these people attack the group that did so much to save him? One strong Flamethrower later, the trio had been blasted away. Ash smiled.

"Thanks, Charmander. That was nice of you."

Silver nodded.

"Even though you're still loyal to Damian, you didn't forget what we did for you and repaid us in kind."

"Char char!" (Yepa!)

Misty looked at the Pokémon.

"You're sure you still want to go with Damian? Nothing tells he's going to come back for you."

Charmander looked away, hesitation in his eyes. A voice was suddenly heard.

"Charmander, here you are! I looked everywhere for you!"

The group growled when Damian came to them. Silver frowned.

"What do you want? I thought you had abandoned Charmander."

"But thanks to that, he has grown stronger. I'm going to win a lot of challenges with him." He looked at the Fire lizard. "Let's go, Charmander. We have work to do."

Ash snarled.

"Don't listen to him! This guy left you to your death. You deserve a better Trainer than him!"

Charmander looked at the black-haired boy, surprise in his eyes. A better Trainer? Damian growled.

"Charmander, get here now!"

The little Pokémon winced at the harsh tone. He looked at Ash, then Damian, then Ash, and finally sided with the later. Silver grinned.

"Good choice."

(Play [Seymour Battle Theme](https://youtu.be/dWE0nlhpdq8), Final Fantasy X)

Damian growled.

"No ways! You're going to pay for this! Let's battle!"

Ash grinned evilly. He could certainly use some anger management.

"Rhyhorn, go!"

"Pikachu, here you go!"

The huge Spike Pokémon faced its smaller opponent. Were it any other Pikachu, it would have been scared by the monster, but Pikachu was special. He was more powerful than most of his kind and his training with Blitz and Lya had made him an opponent not to be underestimated … which is precisely what Damian did.

"Rhyhorn, Stone Edge!"

The Rock Pokémon summoned two rings of stones he threw to Pikachu. Ash shook his head. Did Damian really think he could get out with an attack like this?

"Pikachu, Quick Attack to dodge the rocks! Chain with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu obeyed and slalomed through the attack before jumping and delivering a sharp Iron Tail on Rhyhorn's head. Rhyhorn was already somewhat brainless. Its weak point, as taught by Silver during a lesson, was its head so this is where Ash focused his attacks. The Pokémon was quickly defeated, much to Damian's surprise.

"What the … Alright, you asked for it! Hitmonchan!"

The Fighting Pokémon appeared. Ash was about to command Pikachu when Cleffa got out of her poké-ball.

"Cleffa cleffa!" (He's mine!')

Ash was surprised but nodded.

"Alright. If you insist ..."

Damian almost burst out of laughing when he saw the little creature.

"What? You're going to challenge me with this?"

Silver rolled his eyes. The teen didn't know what he was getting. Who could ever fathom that this cute, chibi-esque star-shaped creature was a warrior-born?

"Hitmonchan, Sky Uppercut!"

Cleffa glared at the upcoming attack, dodging at the last moment. She leaped in her opponent's back and her fist turned green. Before the Fighting Pokémon could react, she had launched her own assault. The punch seemed not only to hurt, but also to suck Hitmonchan's energy. Silver's eyes widened.

"Drain Punch! When did she learn it?"

Ash didn't have the slightest idea. Hitmonchan was surprisingly done for the count, much to his Trainer's surprise, but it didn't stop here. Cleffa slowly glowed and changed shape. When it faded, the girl was a brand new Pokémon.

"Clefairy!"

Ash's eyes lit up in mirth.

"Cleffa has evolved!"

Indeed, the battle-hardened Fairy creature had become a Clefairy through her friendship with her Trainer. Damian gulped and started to back up. Misty grinned.

"Realizing Ash is a too big opponent for you? Where has gone all of your assurance?"

Damian looked at Clefairy with fear. Recalling his Pokémon, he quickly ran away. Ash cheered.

"One more victory for me! Well done, Pikachu, Clefairy!"

(End music)

The two Pokémon grinned widely, sharing their Trainer's happiness. Charmander looked at them with envy. Ash turned to him.

"Don't worry, Charmander. You too will grow strong like them. Here."

He offered him a poké-ball. The Fire starter gladly trapped himself in it. As they left on the dirt road, Ash looked at Clefairy.

"Your Drain Punch totally took him by surprise. And me too. Where did you learn it?"

"Clefairy clefa clefairy-ry fafa." (My father is a Breloom so I'm good at this stuff.)

Ash laughed after Lya translated.

"Yep. You sure are!"

It appeared that, upon evolving, Clefairy's aggressiveness had mellowed down a little but she still remained steadfast and battle-ready. Furthermore, during a training session, Ash found out she had the Magic Guard ability, a skill fitting her nature. Lya, now that Pikachu was strong enough to her taste, decided to tutor Charmander. The little fire lizard was happy to be trained by Silver's more experienced Pokémon. He and Bulbasaur had started to work in duo, much like Pikachu and Clefairy and Pidgeotto with Butterfree. Their favorite trick was a combo attack called Fire Blades. Bulbasaur unleashed his Leaf Blades while Charmander set them ablaze. The opponent was caught in a flurry of burning blades that did lasting damages. A chance Clefairy was immune to this kind of side-effect …

The group was walking down the road to Vermilion City and Ash was whistling. Silver smiled and started to sing aloud.

[ _Here I am, this is me._ ](https://youtu.be/Xu4zfk51B80)   
_There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather me._   
_Here I am, it's just me and you._   
_Tonight we make our dreams come true …_

He threw his head backward.

_It's a new world, it's a new start,_   
_It's a life with the beating of a young heart!_   
_It's a new day, it's a new place._   
_I'll be waiting for you ..._

_Here I am._

Ash laughed and sang the next verses.

_Here we are, we've just begun_   
_And after all this time, our time has come._   
_Yeah, here we are, still going strong,_   
_Right here in the place where we belong._

The duo sang together.

_It's a new world, it's a new start,_   
_It's a life with the beating of a young heart!_   
_It's a new day, it's a new place._   
_I'll be waiting for you ..._

_Here I am._

They started whistling the melody together, soon joined by Misty and Brock. They sang the next part together.

_Here I am, this is me._   
_There's nowhere else on Earth I'd rather me._   
_Here I am, it's just me and you._   
_Tonight we make our dreams come true …_

The group finished in a chorus.

_It's a new world, it's a new start,_   
_It's a life with the beating of a young heart!_   
_It's a new day, it's a new place._   
_I'll be waiting for you …_

_Here I am._

The song ended in a collective laugh. Misty grinned.

"That was a great song!"

Silver nodded.

"I have a habit to sing when I make long trips. This way, I don't see time passing and it makes the journey less boring."

"Do you have others?" Brock asked.

Ash nodded.

"He has a lot more. Silver is a great singer and piano player. There's this lullaby he used to sing me when I was a kid. I think it's called To the sky."

Silver nodded.

"Oh, this one. It's one of my favorites. I have another I like a lot. It's called On my way. You wanna hear it?"

Before he could answer, they fell in a deep pit.

"What the heck was that?" Silver growled.

A group of Squirtle appeared above them and laughed. All of them were wearing sunglasses. Lya snarled.

"You damn buggers! You will pay for this prank!"

She breathed fire to them, causing them to run away. The group got out of the hole and glared at the pranksters. It was a group of five Squirtle. Their leader was wearing triangular sunglasses while the others' were round. Ash growled.

"Let's take care of them! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

He was aiming for the leader but an underling took the blow for him. Pikachu glared at him. The two Pokémon were about to attack when a siren echoed in the air. The Squirtle looked at it in fear. The next second, they were running. Ash raised a brow.

"What as that for?"

It was an Officer Jenny. Ash grinned.

"Hey, Officer!"

The woman looked at him.

"Do we know each other?"

"Yes, I met you at Viridian City ..."

"Oh, it must've been my cousin."

Silver chuckled.

"Just like Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny are all related, have the name name and look alike. In fact, Jenny is their family name, just like Joy is for the nurses."

The policewoman smiled.

"Indeed. I am Carol Jenny. My cousin at Viridian City is Elisa Jenny."

Ash chuckled.

"That's strange … but funny."

The woman took them at the police center.

"The group you met is called the Squirtle Squad. They are a group of Squirtle abandoned by their Trainers who have turned delinquents. Now they spend their time pulling pranks on people since they're not used to being in the wilds. They also steal food, but I feel it's not really their faults. Evil Trainer, evil Pokémon … All they need is someone kind to show them the right path."

Silver frowned and turned to Ash. The boy had a heart of pure gold, he knew it as a fact. They left the office and headed to the riverside. While Misty was fishing, the three men were taking a nap with their Pokémon. Suddenly, a Squirtle appeared, only to use Water Gun on them. Ash growled.

"Those damn … Pikachu, fry him!"

The Squirtle escaped the attack in-extremist and retaliated with a Rapid Spin. Pikachu snarled. How dared this turtle attack his friends? He used Iron Tail to throw it back but another Squirtle jumped in his back and blasted him in the river … right in a school of Goldeen. One of them attacked with a nasty Horn Attack. Before the group could react, four lassos caught them. Lya snarled.

"You bunch has gone too far! Take that! Fire Blast!"

One of the Squirtle stepped before the group and spoke. Lya stopped his attack.

"You wouldn't dare!"

One of the Squirtle showed Silver's long tail and spoke. Lya had fury in her eyes.

"You damn ( **censored** ) little scum! If you cut his tail, there won't be a single place in the see, land and sky for you to hide. I swear it on the Ancients."

She reluctantly went to Silver and returned in her poké-ball. Meowth appeared.

"This time, you won't escape us!"

Silver snarled.

"Meowth. So Team Rocket is behind it."

The Squad took them to a cave where they were tied to a rock. Meowth grinned.

"I am the new leader of Team Rocket. Jessie and James are my servants now. Nananana!"

He teased Ash with his tail, only for the boy to bite it hard. The cat Pokémon jumped in pain. Silver chuckled.

"A tail is as sensitive for those who have it as the crotch. A pain here can be quite devastating, hence the reason I go on a rampage every time mine is harmed."

Ash nodded, remembering the time where he tried to take the man's tail, only to be yelled at. It was the only time Silver had actually raised his voice on the boy. He looked at the Squitle.

"Don't listen to him. Meowth is a liar. Jessie and James aren't his servants. They are partners."

Meowth growled and retaliated with a strong Scratch on the boy's face. Ash winced. Silver glared at the Pokémon with murder in his eyes.

"You will pay."

Meowth shrugged.

"See how arrogant humans can be?"

Brock frowned and looked at Pikachu. The mouse had been trapped in a cage and his state was gradually getting worse.

"Ash, Pikachu is getting real sick. You must give him a Super Potion."

"But I don't have one!"

"There's a shop in town who sells some."

Ash lowered his head. He couldn't let Pikachu die. He looked at the Squirtle.

"Please, let me go. I have to get a Super Potion to cure Pikachu. Please!"

The Squirtle leader shook his head and spoke. Meowth translated.

"Out of question! You just want to run away."

Ash thought a little.

"I promise I'll come back. As a token, I'll leave the charm my mentor gave me after I received my first badge."

Meowth raised a brow. Silver's eyes widened.

"Ash, you're not thinking about leaving your charm behind!"

"I don't have a choice. Your pendant and the half poké-ball I carry are my most prized items."

Silver frowned. Wherever he went, Ash was carrying the white half of a poké-ball he found in a river. The poké-ball had been the source of a fierce argument between he and Gary and the boy was keeping it as a memento of their rivalry, as well as the symbol of his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master. He closed his eyes.

"Take care of you, kid."

Ash nodded. The Squirtle leader spoke and Meowth translated.

"You better come back if you don't want your friend to lose his tail."

The Squirtle untied him and the boy took off the yellow charm he was wearing. Meowth looked at it with mirth in his eyes.

"Whoa! That's quite a treasure you're keeping around your neck."

"Don't think about keeping it." Ash retorted. "This is a gift from Silver. You can be sure I'll be back for it. And Pikachu."

On this, he ran. Thanks to his morning routines, Ash had become faster and tougher and could easily cover half a mile without breaking a sweat. However, when he met with an old half-broken bridge, he was forced to stop.

"Great. Just what I needed ..."

He threaded on it carefully, almost falling dozen of times. The ropes finally snapped and would've sent him in the river below weren't it for Pidgeotto. Feeling his Trainer in troubles, he freed himself and grabbed the boy, safely carrying him to the other side. Ash looked at the bird.

"Thank you, Pidgeotto. You did great."

But the stunt had worn the Pokémon out. Pidgeotto wasn't that large and still had troubles carrying heavy charges. Not that Ash weighted a ton, but he wasn't exactly light either. He finally reached the town and the store, only to see Team Rocket leaving with large bags. The two didn't notice him, but he heard them saying they would take care of the Squirtle Squad. The boy frowned. It was bad news. He entered the store, only to find several weapons ranking from gun to knife aiming at him.

"Hey, I'm not a bad guy!"

The people in the store were reluctant to believe him. Clefairy suddenly popped out, ready to protect her Trainer. Officer Jenny appeared as the people and the Pokémon were about to clash.

"Lower your weapons. This boy isn't among Team Rocket."

The people finally obeyed. Ash sighed.

"I'm just here to buy a Super Potion. My Pikachu is sick."

He took the item the salesman gave him but, before he could leave, the policewoman took him with her.

"Where are your friends, kid?"

Ash looked down.

"They were kidnapped by the Squirtle Squad."

Officer Jenny's eyes widened.

"Really?"

A snigger was heard in his back. Ash turned to see none other than Gary. The brown kid smirked.

"Is little Ashie in some kind of troubles?"

Ash snarled.

"Knock it off, Gary. I don't have time for you."

He told Jenny his story, which caused her to frown deeply.

"Indeed, you are in troubles. Let's use my bike. We'll go faster this way."

"I'm coming too." Gary said.

Ash turned to him, surprised. His rival explained.

"I want to see how you'll get out of this situation. It's been some time since I didn't hear about you."

"We'll speak once everything's over." Ash said sharply. "Right now, Silver and Pikachu are in trouble … and I'm afraid Meowth will try to steal my pendant."

"Your pendant?"

"You'll see."

The woman took the two to the river. Ash frowned.

"The bridge between the two sides is broken. I almost fell in the river when I crossed it."

"This might be troublesome." Jenny growled. "The closest ford is quite far."

Ash took one of his poké-ball and nodded.

"Bulbasaur, I need your help."

The Pokémon appeared, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Bulbasaur, do you think you can use your vines to take us to the other side?"

"Saur!" (Sure!)

The Grass Pokémon took his Trainer and passed him on the other cliff. He was quickly joined by Gary and Jenny. Ash recalled his friend.

"Good job!"

The officer led the two teens to a secret entrance.

"Here. The passage is too narrow for an adult but a kid should be able to make it."

Ash nodded.

"I'll go first."

He entered the passage and Gary followed him. The stone corridor was dark so Ash had to rely on Charmander's fiery tail to light the way. They finally reached the grotto. To his relief, his friends were still here, tied. He entered.

"I'm back, just as I promised."

The Squirtle leader looked at him surprised, and finally nodded. He opened Pikachu's cage, leaving Ash spray the Super Potion on his friends. He turned to the group.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." Silver answered.

The Squirtle leader spoke. Before someone could translate, an explosion shook the place.

"What is that?" Gary asked.

Ash growled.

"Team Rocket! I saw them burgling a shop when I came in town!"

Silver frowned.

"They must be using bombs! Squirtle, free us, please!"

The Squirtle obeyed. Soon, the group was free. However, Ash noticed something was amiss.

"Meowth is gone!"

"And he had taken Pikachu and your necklace along!"

Ash's eyes flared.

"I won't let them do!"

In the blink of an eye, his whole team was out. They got outside, only to see the evil trio reciting their motto and launching bombs from a hot-air balloon. Meowth was climbing a rope ladder, Ash's charm around his neck and Pikachu under his arms.

"Hehehehe! See you next time, shrimps!"

The bombs fell harder than before, the explosions shaking the ground.

"Let's go back to the cave, quickly!"

The group headed back but the Squirtle leader had fallen on his back. Like any turtle, being on his back was dangerous to him. Ash saw it. He also saw the bomb falling straight to him.

"Watch out!"

The bomb exploded on his back, causing him to wince. Silver saw it and snarled, his eyes cold as death.

"Pidgeotto! Blow me that balloon! Bring them down!"

The bird was just as angry as the man, and so were all of Ash's Pokémon. He turned to Charmander who nodded.

"Pidgeotto!"

"Char!"

While Pidgeotto used Whirlwind, Charmander used Flamethrower in the wind. The result was a fiery tornado that incinerated the balloon. The brave bird then flew to Meowth and scratched him before taking Ash's necklace. Bulbasaur used his vines to get Pikachu and brought him back to the group. Silver grinned.

"Perfect teamwork!"

Gary was surprised. How did Ash train such good Pokémon? He was even more surprised when Silver placed the charm back on Ash's neck and took some of the blood that was falling from his back. He passed it on the sun engraved on a face of the jewel and a light flashed from it. The light ran through Ash's whole body, curing him and closing the wounds caused by the bombs. Ash opened his eyes in time to see the miracle occur.

"What … is that?"

Silver smiled.

"It's the charm's power."

The boy rose and looked at his jewel.

"This charm … It's more than a simple jewel, is it? It is … magical."

"You're right." Silver smiled. "This charm is an artifact from the Ancients. Its powers are real, as you have noticed. Blood on the cross gives safety, blood on the sun gives recovery. This is how it protected me for so long."

Ash took the pendant and played with it for some time.

"And now you want me to have it. I have never seen a yellow jewel before. And this one is very pure, just like a yellow diamond."

Silver grinned.

"It is a Sun Drop, a kind of stones you find only in deserts. This kind of talisman was frequent among Ancient communities. I found this one in a ruin. Its powers are a testimony of the wonders the Ancients could create."

Ash had a small smile.

"A pendant that protects and heals its bearer. I would have never guessed."

Gary frowned. So this was the pendant Ash was talking about. No wonder he cared so much about it. Ash's Pokémon gathered around him, worried about their Trainer. Ash nodded.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Totally."

Pikachu jumped in the boy's arms and rubbed his muzzle against his face. Ash scratched him between the ears. Squirtle looked at the group with envy. Suddenly, the smell of burnt wood invaded the air. Misty's eyes widened.

"Team Rocket's bombs have set the forest ablaze!"

Officer Jenny had joined them.

"This is bad! Such a fire could turn the village to ashes!"

Ash rose from the ground.

"I have an idea. If the Squirtle use their Water Gun together, they have a chance to stop it!"

Silver nodded.

"This is an excellent idea."

The Squirtle were more than willing to help the one who saved their leader. Together, they managed to stop the fire and, as a thanks, were officially appointed as the town's firefighters. The Squirtle leader came to Ash after the ceremony and spoke. Lya translated.

"Squirtle wants to join you. He has a debt toward you for saving his life and hopes he'll be able to repay you in kind one day."

Ash nodded.

"I gladly accept. But there's a problem ..."

Gary nodded.

"Yep. You can only have six Pokémon on hand."

"That's not a problem." Silver smiled. "There's a Center nearby. Ash will be able to exchange one of his teammates to make room for Squirtle. Ash?"

The boy grinned and took one of his poké-balls.

"Butterfree is powerful enough as he is. Besides, I don't want to leave Pikachu behind, Clefairy evolved recently, Pidgeotto has yet to reach his final stage and Bulbasaur and Charmander are newcomers like Squirtle."

"But Butterfree and Pidgeotto are your two aerial fighters."

Ash had a kind smile.

"I saw how Pidgeotto and Charmander took care of Team Rocket's balloon. They will do well together."

Silver nodded.

"A perfect way to think."

He sent Butterfree to the lab and trapped Squirtle in a poké-ball. Gary frowned. What he had seen that day made him rethink of his opinion toward his rival. Ash wasn't this stupid little boy anymore. Under Silver's tutelage, he had become stronger … and sharper. He left the town without a farewell. If he didn't want Ash to catch up with him, he would have some work to do …

The group continued their journey until they reached the ocean. Silver grinned. The sun was setting, covering the usually azure sea with shades of orange, gold and pink. The group sat on the beach.

"You should release your Pokémon, Misty." Ash suggested. "They will be happy to swim in something wider than a river."

Misty gladly obliged and released Staryu, Starmie, Goldeen and Oddish. Brock nodded.

"We should spend the night here. The nights are warm and the sea air will do us good."

Ash laughed.

"I have a better idea. How about a swim?"

The next minute, everyone was playing in the waves, except for Charmander and Brock's Rock Pokémon. The sound of their laughing filled the area, causing several Pokémon to get out of the wild to see who were those creatures who were having so much fun. They spent the night in the forest that was edging the sea and reached Vermilion City next morning. Entering the town was a pleasant feeling for the four wanderers. They settled in the local Pokémon Center and had just taken a long shower with a good meal when the troubles started. A kid entered with his Pokémon, a Rattata carried away by a trolley. Ash raised a brow.

"What happened to him?"

The nurse sighed.

"It's the fifteenth this month. Another victim of Lt. Surge ..."

Several Trainers were caring over their Pokémon, who all spotted heavy electric wounds. Silver frowned.

"This man must be strong. If my memories don't fail me, he's an Electric specialist."

Ash frowned. Nurse Joy nodded.

"Lt. Surge is extremely powerful. His Raichu has never been defeated since I took this position."

Silver turned to Ash.

"Well, there's a start to everything. You ready, champ'?"

Ash nodded. They left the Center and headed to the gym. Before they entered, Ash checked each team member. He frowned.

"I won't use Charmander, Bulbasaur or Squirtle. They don't have enough experience yet. Pidgeotto has a weakness to lightning … Pikachu is also Electric but he knows some non-electric attacks. And finally, there's Clefairy. She and Pikachu are my strongest Pokémon. Yes, I'll use one of these."

Silver nodded.

"Don't forget. Establishing a strategy is good, but you shouldn't underestimate the bond between you and your Pokémon. As well as your training, it is this bond that makes them strong. Have you noticed how loyal they are to you? They have faith in you. So, if you want to win, command them … and have faith in them."

Ash nodded and entered. Lt. Surge was a giant at least twice the size of the boy. Ash shivered. Silver placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. The two underlings by the man's side smirked.

"Another victim for the Emergency Room, boss!"

Silver frowned. It seemed the man deserved his reputation. Trustful to his name, Lt. Surge was wearing military pants and an open sleeveless jacket, as well as two dog tags.

"Alright. So, who's the baby who wants to challenge me?"

Ash proudly stood.

"I am. My name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and I came to get the Thunder badge."

"And what Pokémon will you send to the Emergency Room, baby?"

Ash growled.

"I'm not a baby!" He turned to Pikachu who looked at his Trainer. "You're ready, Pikachu?"

"Pika!"

Seeing the creature, the large man laughed.

"Ha! The little baby brought a baby Pokémon with him. Pokémon are only good if you make them evolve as soon as you get them. Look at this!"

He took a poké-ball and called forth his Raichu. Pikachu's cheeks sparkled.

"My Raichu knows every electric moves that exist. Your domestic mouse doesn't stand a chance against it! Listen to my advice. Make your Pikachu evolve before you enter this fight."

Ash frowned.

"I prefer leaving this choice to Pikachu. He is my friend and my partner. I'd rather have his opinion before making this choice. Besides, my Pikachu doesn't know every electric moves, but he has quite some tricks up his tail. I'll show you when we fight."

The Gym Leader grinned as the boy and his friends stood fearlessly before him. The kid had guts, that much he could tell. He took him to the battle field.

"It will be a one on one between your Pikachu and my Raichu. First one down wins."

"Fine by me."

Before the fight, Silver talked to his student.

"Ash, be careful. This Raichu is an electric powerhouse, I can feel my hairs stand up by just being around him." His eyes narrowed. "Avoid his lightning attacks. Pikachu doesn't have Lightning Rod or Volt Absorb. Despite being an Electric-type, he is sensitive to them."

"Guessed as much. Don't worry. It's time to put our training with Blitz to use."

Silver grinned. Trainer and Gym Leader faced each other. Lt. Surge struck first.

"Raichu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu, dodge!"

Pikachu dodged with surprising speed. To compensate his lack of defense, Ash had spent a lot of time working on the creature's speed, rendering his friend lightning-fast if the situation required it. And it was indeed such a situation.

"Pikachu, Agility! Chain with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu started to run around the field until he was nothing but a glowing trail of light. Ash grinned.

"Get him!"

Surge growled.

"No, you don't! Raichu, Thunder!"

The field was overflowed with lightning, causing Ash to gasp.

"It's going to hurt!"

Thanks to his speed, Pikachu managed to slalom between the bolts, but one touched him at the paw. The mouse growled and merely shook it off. Ash was counting on him, he had to win! So he ran to Raichu. Ash gave his order at the last moment.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail full force!"

Pikachu gladly obliged. The strength of the strike sent Raichu flying to the wall. Surge couldn't believe it. This kid not only evaded every attacks he sent, but he also defeated him using not a single electric attack! He looked at his young opponent, who was caressing his panting friend.

"You were wonderful, Pikachu. Really. I'm totally proud of you."

Pikachu cheered. His beloved Trainer was proud of him! And not just a little, by what he could see in his eyes. He strongly rubbed his muzzle against him in happiness. Surge sighed and smiled. The boy beat him fair and square. And he had to admit his little mouse had some strength. Well, time to give him a gift.

"Here."

Ash looked at the tall Gym Leader. The man had a sun-looking pin in his arm.

"The Thunder badge. Take it, you deserved it. Also ..." He dived a hand in his pocket and took a green stone containing a thunder bolt. "Take this Thunderstone. I know you don't want to make your Pikachu evolve yet, but a stone like this is always useful."

Ash gladly accepted the presents, but made sure to keep the evolutionary jewel away from his friend. Silver took a box.

"Here. This is a badge case I made during my spare times."

It was a magnificently decorated box. The main part was made with hard ash wood with an acacia veneer that gave a very sweet scent. The corners were decorated with ebony and on the top of the box was a small engraving of Pikachu standing on Ash's shoulder. The inside held a layer of soft navy blue tissue with the drawing of a poké-ball sown in the middle. Ash caressed the box with respect.

"You did this all by yourself?"

"I started as soon as we left on your journey. I had some treasure left from my own wanderings so I used them to make this case. Do you like it?"

"I totally love it."

He carefully placed the three badges he had inside. His friends couldn't help but see the care he showed while manipulating the box. Pikachu's eyes lit when he saw Silver's gift.

"Thank you, father. This is an awesome present."

He placed the Thunderstone in it and put the box in a safe pocket of his bag. As they left the Gym, the boy couldn't help but be thoughtful. Twice, his mentor had made him presents for having won a badge. First, the magical talisman around his neck, then the badge case, which was a total work of art. An immense pride surged inside of him. His adoptive father was awesome. Strong, wise, skillful … perfect. He couldn't wait to show the box to Gary and his mom. Delia would be amazed and his rival would be totally jealous. Silver was right. The real rewards weren't badges and the pride of having caught a lot of Pokémon. Those things, anyone could do them. No, the real rewards to him were the presents Silver gave him because he was satisfied with his progress, the smiles on his friends' face and the trust his Pokémon had into him. He remembered Pikachu's joy after his battle and warmth invaded his body.

His father was proud of him, his friends were happy, his Pokémon were strong and trustful and he had won a third badge. What was there to ask for more?


	6. Adventures by the sea

I could paint a picture with a pen  
But a song will only scratch the skin  
And there are still places I haven't been  
Because I know what's in there is already in the air

Oh yeah, there's a storm on the way  
There's a storm on the way, alright  
There's a storm on the way, uh huh  
And it's comin' no matter what I say  
(And I come, I come, I come, I come)  
[Storm coming](https://youtu.be/Tkb0uoe-GDA), Gnarls Barkley

Vermilion City was renowned for its Gym, but also its harbor that hosted a great number of giant liners sailing over all Regions of the world. On Misty's behalf and to commemorate Ash's third badge, Silver had taken the group for a cruise on one of them. It seemed the man's fortune was boundless, but no ways in the Reverse World he would tell where it came from. So the group was walking aboard the S.S. Anne, enjoying the many entertainments offered by the place. Silver had chosen this ship especially because it held a gathering of Pokémon Trainers and he thought the three kids may be interested. He was right. The four of them had fun.

As Ash wandered between the stalls, he noticed a battle between a Starmie and a Raticate. After a powerful Super Fang, the Starmie Trainer gave up. The winner, who was dressed as a member of the aristocracy in his black suit with a top hat and a pair of round glasses, looked around.

"You did well, boy. In a few years, you should become a strong opponent. Well, is there anyone here who wants to challenge me?"

Ash looked at the man. Alright, his Raticate was strong. He called his Pokémon.

"Guys, I'm thinking about taking that man's challenge. Who's up? No, Clefairy. I want to give him a chance." Clefairy pouted. "I was thinking between Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. Your guys are new in the team and you didn't get to fight very often, only train."

Squirtle and Charmander both raised a paw. Grinning, Ash took a coin.

"Heads or tails?"

Charmander waved his tail while Squirtle raised his head proudly. Ash tossed the coin and dextrously caught it. It was tails.

"Alright. Charmander, here you go. Squirtle, I'll use you in the next fight, promise."

Squirtle nodded. The gentleman had been observing Ash and so had Silver. The man had decided to get off the kid's back for sometime but still watched from afar. He wanted to see how his student behaved without him around. So far so good. Ash faced the gentleman.

"Let's get this fight started. Raticate, Bite!"

"Charmander, dodge!"

The orange lizard jumped out of the way. Ash grinned.

"Retaliate with Fire Fang!"

Charmander jumped on Raticate's back and gave him a fiery bite. The Raticate screeched in pain and tried to get rid of the creature.

"Charmander, jump and use Flamethrower!"

"Raticate, Iron Tail!"

The attack wasn't enough to counter Charmander's signature attack. Seeing he was losing, the man stepped between the two just as the flames faded.

"That is enough. Your Charmander is remarkable. Is it your Starter?"

"No."

Ash knelt and congratulated Charmander.

"You did perfectly, Charmander. Your Fire Fang is getting better everyday and your Flamethrower is almost as good as Lya's."

Charmander burst the flame of his tail in happiness. Silver had to recognize the little Pokémon promised to become a powerful fighter. The evening was coming so the group gathered around a table to eat. The gentleman came to them with a pretty woman by his side. Brock immediately noticed her and went to pieces. Silver smiled.

"Good evening, sir."

"Good evening to you too. I came to talk about the young owner of the Charmander I fought."

"You mean Ash."

Ash raised his head. The man smiled.

"I saw you fight with your Charmander during your other battles. He truly is a force to be reckoned with."

"Thank you. Your Raticate wasn't half bad either."

"Then I'll be frank. How about we exchange our Pokémon?"

Silver's food went down the wrong way. He looked deeply at the man, scanning his thoughts. What he found didn't please him the slightest. This man wanted glory, and to this, he needed powerful Pokémon. Raticate was powerful, but it was nothing compared to the level Ash's Pokémon would reach under the two's tutelage. This man was an Exchanger and a Fighter, not a Trainer.

Ash looked at Charmander. He has saved the Pokémon from a Trainer that almost left him die. Ever since, Charmander had become loyal to him and was training hard to reach the boy's standards, not realizing the simple faith he placed in him was enough for Ash. He looked at the gentleman, then at Silver. The frown on his mentor's face didn't go unnoticed.

"I won't."

The man was surprised.

"What? But … why?"

"Because Charmander believes in me. I saved his life and took him under my wing. I know he will become strong under my care. I would gladly train your Raticate if you would lend it to me, but I will keep Charmander with me unless he wants it otherwise."

Charmander cheered at his Trainer's answer. Silver nodded.

"A wise choice."

The answer didn't please the man who tried to use various arguments to convince the kid, not to avail. Ash was adamant about keeping Charmander and every of his Pokémon. The man growled.

"That is enough! I want that Charmander and there are no ways you lowly little Trainer can stop me! Give me your Pokémon right now!"

"Come and get it!" Ash retorted, fire in his eyes. "Pikachu, Clefairy, I'll need you guys!"

Silver grinned. When Ash felt his friends and family threatened, he became a powerful Trainer not to be messed up with. He stepped between the two.

"How about this? The two of you will have a battle and the winner will keep Charmander."

Ash looked at Silver and nodded. If his mentor thought he had no chance, then he would have dealt with the man himself. That he offered a loyal battle proved that he believed in his victory. They came to the battleground.

(Play [Search and Destroy](https://youtu.be/Nn0_FjJvVHI), by Skunk Anansie)

"Vaporeon, I choose you!"

Silver looked at Ash and nodded.

"Be merciless."

Ash grinned. The man would never see his defeat coming.

"Pikachu, here you go!"

The two Pokémon faced each other. Pikachu was aware this fight was to protect Charmander. He would give his best to protect his friend.

"Vaporeon, Water Pulse!"

"Pikachu, jump and use Thunderbolt full power! We've got to show this guy what we're worth!"

The lightning bolt was enough to shock Vaporeon unconscious. The Gentleman could hardly believe it. People had gathered to watch the fight.

"Growlithe, go!"

"Squirtle, time to fight!"

Ash wanted to make it quick so he gave his orders.

"Squirtle, show him your Water Pulse!"

"Growlithe, Ember!"

The water attack easily beat the fire one. Ash then ordered an Aqua Tail that knocked the dog Pokémon unconscious. The Gentleman raged while people cheered.

"I won't end here! Spearow!"

"Pidgeotto!"

The two Flying Pokémon flew around each other, glaring angrily at the one before them.

"Pidgeotto, Wing Attack!"

"Fearow, Drill Peck!"

Fearow dashed to Pidgeotto but the bird dextrously dodged and slammed his wings in the bird's back. Ash's eyes lit.

"Now, for our special: Air Slash!"

Pidgeotto focused his power in his wings and unleashed a crossed blade of air. Fearow was crushed by it. The victorious bird landed near Ash and chirped happily. Charmander suddenly had a grin. He came to his partner and said something that quickly got Pidgeotto's interest. Ash looked at them.

"What are you two talking about?"

Lya translated. The Pokémon duo had just thought about a combination of Flamethrower and Air Slash they had called Fire Blades. Ash nodded. It was an excellent idea. The fight continued. Bulbasaur easily beat Meowth with Energy Ball after successfully parrying a Pay Day attack, Charmander once more proved he was stronger than Raticate after his Flamethrower incinerated the Pokémon and Clefairy emerged victorious against Nidorino after a one-sided battle. Silver grinned. Ash would keep Charmander.

(End music)

Suddenly, the waiters took off their uniforms to reveal an outfit that familiar to the ex-adventurer: Team Rocket grunts! The Team Rocket trio appeared and recited their motto. Jessie grinned.

"Thank you for having so easily fallen into our trap! Now is time for you to give us your Pokémon!"

The grunts started using vacuums to suck the passengers' poké-balls. Ash growled. He was still fired up from his fight.

"I just fought to keep Charmander. I won't let you guys get a hand on the rest of my friends! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu's attack took three grunts in a strike. Pidgeotto started blowing powerful winds while Bulbasaur was playing with his whips. Silver had a smirk. At last some fun! He gave his orders and Blitz joined Pikachu while Gaya was joining Bulbasaur and Lya was teaming with Charmander. Misty and Brock fought by their side with Oddish and Staryu, Geodude and Zubat. Their courage boosted the morale of the people who took their Pokémon back and fought against the aggressor. A ranged battle started between the passengers of the S.S. Anne and Team Rocket that quickly turned in favor of the Trainers. The evil organization was pushed back, but victory had a steep price. The damages caused had destroyed the ship, who was now sinking. And as if it wasn't enough, a storm was raging. Silver growled.

"We must evacuate the ship! Quick, everyone follow me!"

Led by the group, the passengers reached the lifeboats and embarked them. They had to hurry, the ship was slowly falling into the depths. Ash and his friends stayed aboard until the last crew member was safe and tried to board one of the boats, only for a powerful wave to shake the ship and send them in its bowels. They collided with a wall and lost consciousness.

When Silver awoke, he wondered what had happened to them. Then he remembered the shipwreck. A porthole confirmed his fears. The S.S. Anne had sunk while they were out, and they were now trapped in the ship. Worse, the sunken ship was upside down. The rest of the group slowly woke up.

"What happened?" Ash growled.

Silver quickly summed up their predicament. Ash gulped.

"We're in troubles ..."

"You have no ideas. First, we have to find a way out. Let's go."

They reached a part of the ship that was partially underwater.

"Let's try to find an exit."

Misty grinned.

"Water's my specialty. Goldeen, go! Find us a way out!"

The red and blue fish dived in the water, soon joined by Squirtle. It quickly appeared that the path to the bridge was cut. Misty's knowledge came here again into use as she had built a miniature version of the ship. If they reached the bottom of the ship and pierced a hole in the hull, they would make it out. Following the girl's instruction, they quickly reached the place where cargo was once stored. Lya and Charmander made short work of the metal. Misty then gave Brock Staryu and Silver Starmie while she took Goldeen and Ash took Squirtle. The group swam to the surface.

Ash and Silver were swimming side by side behind Misty and Brock. The kid looked at his mentor. Despite Starmie's strength, the man was struggling. It became apparent that he had troubles holding his breath, and the glimmer of fear in his eyes didn't bode well. Ash's worries confirmed as Silver's grip on Starmie slowly loosened. He held his hand to his mentor, trying to catch him, but it was too late. Silver released the breath he was holding and started to sink. Ash gasped, letting go of some air, and left Squirtle to try and save the drowning man. He managed to catch him, but the swim had taken a toll and he, too, was starting to run out of air. Squirtle noticed his Trainer had left him, but the turtle Pokémon had lungs that needed to be refilled. There was nothing he could do for them and Starmie didn't want to be separated from his own Trainer for too long. Taking a raging Pikachu with them, the two Pokémon, as ungrateful as it seemed, left the boy and his father.

Ash swam the best he could to the surface, but it seemed so far away … Silver was unconscious in his arms and his weight was slowing the boy more than he needed to. But Ash didn't let go of him. He owed the man so much that leaving him behind didn't even cross his mind. All hope seemed lost for the two when a shadow rose from the deep. The shadow looked like a wyvern with two wings, two legs, a long tail and neck and two glowing blue eyes. The creature came to them and put them on its back before reaching the surface at the speed of a rocket. Ash emerged and took a long, long breath in.

"Ouch, I thought my lungs were about to burst ..."

Silver started to cough the water in his chest. Ash helped him roll on the side and slapped his back hard. Silver coughed harder and, after several minutes, started to breath again. He growled.

"What happened?"

Ash looked at him.

"You almost drowned so I tried to save you but I didn't make it. Without this Pokémon, we would be both dead now."

Silver was surprised. Then he realized they were on a large white back. He raised his head … and met up with Lugia's two azure eyes.

"Lugia !?"

Ash froze and slowly turned to face his savior. The Guardian of the Seas looked at the two with an amused grin. Silver blinked several times.

"The Lord of the Ocean himself came to our rescue! And what do we owe the honor of such a favor?"

Lugia chuckled.

" _Of all the people in this world, Silver, you should know._ "

The man looked away.

"I see no reason for the Guardian of the Seas to waste his time saving me. Ash maybe, but myself ..."

Lugia rolled his eyes.

" _Are you forgetting your place? You are the Herald of the Council, you are our agent in this world. Your life is precious to us._ "

"Precious, no kidding! I am a pawn. The Council orders and I follow, if only because I don't have a damn choice!"

Lugia lowered his head.

" _I know. The Ancients did so much for us. They are at the origins of modern civilization and taught us Pokémon to control our powers and live in harmony with the world. We owe the Ancient so much … A fact the Council is more and more eager to forget._ "

Silver frowned.

"You don't seem to relish this idea."

Lugia turned to him and narrowed his eyes.

" _By the Reverse World, yes. It is to believe the Council has a short memory. If they keep going, they are going to hear more of me than they can imagine. Seriously, ever since Arceus left, Dialga and Palkia act as if they rule the whole thing. And Dialga isn't very fond of you._ "

"Contrary to Palkia. Unfortunately, those two can hardly stand each other. But the facts are here. I am a pawn."

" _Depends for who. I know for a fact that Darkrai holds you in great esteem._ "

"Tough chance. He is as appreciated by people as I am by your kind."

Lugia shook his head. Silver was right, no matter how you looked at it. He looked at him.

" _I am going to lead you two to Porta Vista. Your friends are already here. Take care of Ash, Silver. This isn't a coincidence the two of you met. The boy is more than meets the eyes … and the Council has chosen you to bring him to his full potential._ "

Silver nodded. Ash looked at him.

"What did you two talk about?"

"Nothing you should worry about." Was the answer. "Lugia is one of the most respectable Pokémon. In the old times, people saw Legendaries as divinities that had to be revered. The Ancients, who are at the origins of the modern world, used to build amazing temples in their honor. Some can be found in Sinnoh and Johto, though as technology developed, the world lost its magic and Legendaries were relegated to the rank of rare Pokémon."

Ash sighed and caressed Lugia's back.

"That's sad."

Silver smiled and rubbed his wet hairs.

"The Ancients established a classification for them, ranking from Delta to Omega. The **Delta** rank holds Pokémon like Celebi, Jirachi or the Lake Guardians of Sinnoh, Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit. The **Beta** rank holds a great number of Legendaries that are akin to minor gods, while the Delta-ranked ones are more like faeries or spirits. There are the Legendary Birds and Beasts, the Lunar Duo … The members of the **Alpha** rank are gods in their own right, and there's quite a number of them. Lugia and Ho-Oh are Alpha-ranked, just like Palkia and Dialga. Finally, the **Omega** rank has only one member: Arceus, the creator of the world."

Ash's eyes lit up.

"That's incredible!"

Silver nodded.

"Remember what I say. It will serve you later on. I have the feeling Lugia and Ho-Oh won't be the first Legendaries to cross your path."

The two had no ideas how true this statement would appear to be. Lugia has a smirk and left them on a beach near Porta Vista, a road on the path to Saffron City. The two quickly caught up with Misty and Brock.

"Let's keep Lugia's encounter for ourselves, alright?"

Ash nodded but was starting to get worried. Silver seemed to have business with the Legendaries of the world and did all he could to keep it a secret. First, Lugia saved them, then there was the talk during which Silver said he was a 'pawn' working for some 'Council' Lugia was apparently part of . This made a lot of mysteries for the kid, who swore to himself he would help his father by heart no matter what.

Porta Vista was a seaside resort. After such an adventure, one could think the group would try and avoid such places. Dream of it. They were perfectly fine to relax on the beach after their exhausting misfortune. As they looked for a place to eat, they noticed a small restaurant held by a lone man. It was a nice place selling a perfectly acceptable food.

"Why didn't we go to the other restaurant?" Misty asked.

"Because the food in this one is perfectly fine and it's cheaper than the other. Not that I mind lending a few cents when needed, but me being rich doesn't mean I must serve as the group's walking purse. Also, the owner seemed kinder than the old hag next door."

He had a point. Ash noticed the shop's owner, Moe, was sad.

"Hey, is there anything wrong?"

The elder sighed.

"Indeed. My restaurant faces a severe lack of customers due to the concurrence of the neighboring inn, which belongs to Brutella. As if it wasn't enough, I owe her money and have to pay her next morning if I don't want to lose my boat. Problem, I was planning a world cruise ..."

Silver thought a little and a grin crept on his face. Ash chuckled. He knew that grin very well.

"Here we go again ..."

Silver looked at Moe.

"Call it dislike because of looks, but to choose between you and the hag next door, I'd rather help you. If we lured more customers to your shop, it would be enough, right?"

Moe's eyes lit up.

"You would do this?"

"Why not? Kids?"

Ash nodded.

"We'll help you out. I may be a Trainer but, as my father says, getting badges and catching Pokémon aren't what defines a great man."

Silver laughed. Ash had gotten that habit of calling him father even though the two were unrelated. The group called their Pokémon and each got his own task.

"Ash and Brock, you are in charge of holding the fliers. Pikachu, Squirtle, Clefairy, Geodude and Riyo help them. Charmander and Lya, keep me those ovens burning. Pidgeotto and Zubat will help in the cooking with me. Espera, Gaya and Bulbasaur, you'll help Misty in distributing the orders."

The team quickly went to work and, soon a steady stream of customers went to the place. Brutella, the owner of the other restaurant, didn't like it at all. She turned to a trio of people who was none other than Team Rocket.

"This old fart! Break his business! I'll pay you highly for it."

The trio nodded.

"Anything to get rid of these punks and their monkey leader ..."

A series of problems suddenly perturbed the group's work. Gusts of wind took away the fliers, the fire had random power outbursts and someone had fun dropping banana skins that made Misty and the Pokémon fall with the dishes. This caused the customers to steer clear from the place. No one was pleased.

"Those events aren't normal." Ash growled. "Charmander and Lya control their flames well enough to avoid outbursts like that and I'm sure none of our Pokémon are that clumsy."

"You're right." Brock nodded. "Someone has been sabotaging our work. But who?"

Riyo frowned.

"I felt some familiar auras around the places the incidents occurred. I think it was Team Rocket."

Espera closed her eyes and sent her mind wander over Brutella's restaurant.

"Indeed it was. I can see it in their mind. Brutella paid them to mess up out work."

Ash growled.

"Those guys are worse than Gary!"

Silver looked at the restaurant.

"I know this won't change the fact we need money for tomorrow, but I wouldn't mind paying them back with their own coins. If you're alright with it."

Moe nodded weakly. Seeing the old man down, Ash turned to Silver.

"Is there really anything we could do?"

"Sorry, I'm short on ideas on this one."

"Maybe we can help."

The group turned to see Professor Oak. The old man wasn't alone. Delia was accompanying him, much to Ash's surprise. The professor handed the group a newspaper talking about the Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest that would happen later during the evening.

"In what is it gonna help us?" Ash asked.

"Well, the people coming will need a place to eat during the contest and Misty would totally fit in the Beauty segment. There's a nice prize on the line."

The group looked at one another. Why not? They started working again, harder than before. And it worked. Espera and Riyo kept a vigilant guard around the restaurant in case Team Rocket tried to play dirty tricks on them again. Needless to say Brutella was raging. The contest finally started and Misty pulled a perfect performance with Starmie and Squirtle. When Team Rocket tried to interfere, Lya didn't think twice and sent them blasting away with a powerful Tidal Flame, an attack that looked like a fiery tidal wave. Silver congratulated her for the attack and the Ninetales merely replied that she had wanted it since they met the trio. Everything went fine … until Gary entered the stage.

Ash growled at the sight of his rival but managed to keep calm despite the insults. Silver was surprised by his behavior.

"You don't react?"

"Not worth my time. Let's be off. Mom, Professor, you wanted to hear about my adventures, right?"

Silver had to hide his chuckle. That's what he called repay in kind! For all the taunts he had been a victim as a kid, now was the time to take his revenge. He started leaving the place, a huge grin on his face. Gary was fuming.

"How is it, not worth my time? Have you forgotten you didn't beat me once?"

Ash glared back at him.

"We never faced each other since we started our journey." Came the cold reply.

Oak and Delia were surprised by Ash's cold attitude. Silver turned to the group.

"Let's be off. And don't worry about the prize, Misty. Your show was perfect. You have my word."

The girl obeyed. Gary snarled.

"Alright, you asked for it! Let's battle!"

Ash nodded and went on a free spot on the beach. Silver grinned.

"It will be a six on six battle. First one with all of his Pokémon out win."

They hadn't even started that a huge Gyarados-like machine got out of the sea. Ash growled. He would have enjoyed a fight against his rival. Well, maybe later. The machine started to cause a panic.

"We have to stop him!" Brock said.

Ash looked at Gary and turned to the machine.

"Let's do it!"

Gary smirked.

"Alright, Ashie. Let's see how you'll get out of this predicament."

He was boasting but the events with the Squirtle Squad was fresh in his mind. Suddenly, the machine shot a homing missile. The weapon aimed straight to the group, to everyone's horror. Pikachu's eyes widened. Jumping before his friend, he unleashed his strongest Thunderbolt. The bolt wasn't enough to destroy the missile. It didn't matter. The machinery inside was totally jammed, causing it to turn away … straight in the Gyarados tank. The tank's pilots tried to escape, but succeeded only in ramming into Brutella's restaurant. The missile blasted building and machine alike. Silver squinted his eyes.

"Team Rocket. Here they go, flying again. And it seems the old hag got caught with them."

Ash cheered.

"Now Moe can leave on his journey!"

Silver turned to Gary and looked at it.

"No matter how strong your Pokémon are, it doesn't matter if they don't listen to you, and the only way to achieve this is to befriend them. Look at Pikachu. He, Pidgeotto and Clefairy are Ash's strongest Pokémon and they wouldn't think twice before taking a blow for him. Have you seen as Pikachu tried to protect him? If his Thunderbolt didn't succeed into jamming the missile, Ash would have died."

Gary frowned and retorted.

"It doesn't matter how loyal a Pokémon is to his Trainer. If he's weak, the two of them will go nowhere."

Ash growled at the insult. Silver placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That's true. This is why, in order to achieve mastery, one must have strong and trustful Pokémon. We will be on our way now that our task here is done, but the next time we meet, I'll do my best so the two of you will have your match. I promise on Lugia."

Ash came to Professor Oak.

"Professor, I'd like to switch my Pokémon. Clefairy has been with me since Mont Moon. I'd like to have her take a rest and get Butterfree back."

"Of course!"

The Professor quickly made the exchange. Butterfree was happy to meet with his trainer and flew all around him. Ash held his arm.

"Yeah, I'm happy to see you too, Butterfree. Did you rest well?"

Butterfree nodded. He came to a rock and spoke.

"But! Freefreebut butter ter free-ee!" (Look! I learned new attacks while I was at the lab!)

He flipped his wings to the rock, emitting a series of sound waves. Silver's eyes brightened.

"You learned Bug Buzz! It's one of the most powerful Bug attacks!"

Butterfree wasn't finished. His eyes glowed and he raised the rock with his psychic powers, only to crush it by a simple mind push. Ash was wide-eyed.

"I sent him to the lab to get some rest and he returns knowing Psychic and Bug Buzz! Now he only has to learn Hyper Beam and no one will stop him. Seriously, who trained him?"

Silver turned to Oak who shook his head.

"He did it himself. He wanted to become stronger for the next time you two met. It seems he succeeded."

"Seriously, I could take on a Gym single-handedly with him … I'm proud of you, Butterfree, don't be mistaken. But I didn't ask for so much. I don't want you or any of the others to overwork yourself simply to please me. I just … don't want you to get hurt because of me, whatever the reason it is."

The Pokémon listened to their Trainer and their eyes shone. Those words were touching, really. Delia looked at her son with mirth in her eyes.

"My little baby is growing up so fast ..."

Hearing his mother reminded Ash of something. He opened his bag and took the badge case Silver gave him. Oak was amazed.

"Did Silver make it? I recognize here his handiwork."

"Yep. He gave it to me after I defeated Lt. Surge with Pikachu."

Delia looked at the box.

"It is indeed a wonderful case. Silver's fingers are magical."

"Of course they are." The man jokingly said. "I'm an Aura Master."

Gary eyed the box and snorted.

"What? You only have three badges? That's lame."

He took his own case, a flat golden box holding four badges. There was a Boulder and Cascade badge and two unknown badges.

"I've got four badges already and over twenty-five Pokémon. What can you say to beat that?"

Ash growled and crossed his arms, giving his badge case to his mom.

"I'll say instead that I saw two Legendary Pokémon, protected the Center of Viridian City and the Moon Stone hidden in Mont Moon, befriended the local Clefairy colony and was entrusted with one of their youths, defeated an evil trio more times than I can count, protected yet another place from said trio, saved the life of a Charmander his Trainer abandoned, the incident with the Squirtle Squad, I put an end to Lt. Surge's winning streak using only Pikachu against his Raichu and almost drowned with Silver during the shipwreck of the S.S. Anne while helping the passengers escape. Finally, I helped an old man protecting his restaurant and fulfilling his dream. Satisfied?"

Silver chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Looks like I have rubbed on him a lot."

Oak, Delia and Gary were thunderstruck. The professor looked at the boy.

"You … you really did all this?"

"Yes. I'm not boasting about it but Gary asked me what I did so far. Apart from capturing seven Pokémon and winning three badges, that's what happened."

Delia fell to her knees, unable to proceed what her son just said. Gary raised a brow.

"Pff, those things are nothing compared to the glory of having won badges and captured a lot of Pokémon."

"Depends for who." Was Silver's answer. "Now, it seems that our little group has a lot to tell."

They gathered in Moe's restaurant and told the professor and Ash's mother all of what happened so far, except for Silver and Ash's encounter with Lugia. Instead, they just said that they saw it as they were reaching the surface. It was a half-lie, alright, but it wasn't really wrong either if you see what I mean. For two hours they spoke, and their listeners were about to speak when a man entered.

"Help! The Tentacool have gone on a rampage on the other side of the town!"

The group looked at one another.

"We don't have a choice. Let's go!"

The group ran to the place of the disaster to see a huge swarm of Tentacool led by a gigantic Tentacruel. Ash gasped.

"What the … How can a Pokémon be that big?"

"I don't have time for a lesson, but Pokémon exist in all shapes and sizes .Shiny, spiky-haired, giant … those are anomalies that happen. No one knows really why, though. This Tentacruel is a Giant Pokémon and most likely the leader."

The villagers had found a haven in the mountains and were safe, but the town was slowly being blown to pieces. Silver took a flute he was always carrying around and looked at Ash.

"Watch and learn."

He brought the flute to his lips. The song that played was magical. The Tentacool all stopped their rampage and the Tentacruel looked at the man with a frown before stepping before him. His voice echoed in everyone's head.

" _You have played the song of the Guardian of the Seas. Speak now, human. As per the ancient rule, we must listen to you._ "

Silver nodded.

"I just want to know, people of the sea, why the reason to such disaster? What did the humans do to earn your wrath?"

Tentacruel raged.

" _They destroyed our homes! They ransacked the reef with iron and fire! Our youths are suffering and the reef is polluted and broken! How dare they? We want retribution!_ "

Silver gasped. The Tentacool's home was being destroyed by the inhabitants of the city. It seemed the jellyfish Pokémon had a good reason to be mad. Silver frowned.

"To each his home. I understand your anger, Strength of the Reef, and swear on the two Guardians that I will do my best to stop those who threaten your living grounds. Please, spare this city. Surely, not all of the inhabitants are guilty of destroying the reef."

Tentacruel frowned.

" _You swore on the Guardians. You better hold your word, human._ "

Silver nodded and turned to the crowd.

"Well, you all heard what Tentacruel said. Someone tells me the whole story if we want this affair to end quickly and peacefully."

"Peacefully, my ass!"

An old woman with ginger hairs appeared on a tank.

"Those Tentacool are horrible monsters who must be eradicated! They destroyed the hotel I started building in the reef! My beautiful hotel … The most high-class, expensive and luxurious place of this whole island! I wanted to make it underwater but these Tentacool and their Tentacruel leader just wouldn't let me do!"

Silver's eyes narrowed. Ash looked at him.

"Looks like we got the answer to our problem."

Silver nodded. He turned to the crowd.

"Look at this woman! She is the source of your problem. Because of her foolish project of an underwater hotel, she destroyed the reef and drove the Tentacool mad. It is her fault if the town is destroyed."

The crowd raged and booed the woman. Silver looked at them

"What should we do? Should we punish her ourselves or leave her to the Tentacool and Tentacruel?"

The crowd remained silent. Tentacruel then spoke.

" _This woman is the cause of our troubles. In our community, her punishment should be death. But because she is a human, it is better if she leaves this place forever. Banish her from this town and repair what you have destroyed, just like we will help rebuild your homes._ "

People looked at one another, then turned to the woman. As a single man, they took her and kicked her away from Porta Vista. But Tentacruel wasn't finished. He took a little seahorse-looking Pokémon.

" _This young Horsea was driven sick from the pollution in the construction site. If you humans aren't all monsters like this woman, you will take care of him and bring him back to health._ "

Misty stepped in front of the crowd.

"I will take Horsea. I am a Trainer specialized in Water Pokémon. He will be fine with me."

The Tentacruel looked at her and frowned. He dropped the Horsea in her hands and started leaving.

" _I trust you, human. Do not disappoint me._ "

"I won't."

The honesty and faith could be felt in her words. This caused the giant Pokémon to stop and look deeply at her. Misty shivered. If was as if the creature was seeing deep within her, starring at the core of her being. Seemingly satisfied by what he saw, he nodded. What he said next, only she heard it.

" _Child of the wave, born by a misty night under a full silver moon, as long as you remain truthful to your beliefs and respect the sea and its inhabitants, never will the sea betray you. Its shores will be your haven and its winds will be your guide, so when you hear the voice of its ruler, do not be afraid and step forward._ "

A single word then echoed in her head, and she knew instinctively its meaning.

_Kraken_


	7. Of ghosts and psychics

If there's something strange  
In the neighborhood,  
Who ya gonna call?  
Ghostbusters!

If there's something weird  
And it don't look good,  
Who ya gonna call?  
Ghostbusters!

I ain't afraid of no ghosts!  
I ain't afraid of no ghosts!

If you're seeing things  
Running through your head,  
Who ya gonna call?  
Ghostbusters!

An invisible man  
Sleeping under your bed  
Who ya gonna call?  
Ghostbusters!

I ain't afraid of no ghosts!  
I ain't afraid of no ghosts!  
[Ghostbusters](https://youtu.be/m9We2XsVZfc), Ray Parker

It had been four months since Ash and Silver started their journey. A lot happened in those months. Ash was growing fast physically and mentally under Silver's careful tutelage. His body was strengthening thanks to the morning routines the two performed and his Pokémon were becoming sights to see. After days and days of hard work, Butterfree finally mastered Hyper Beam … and Steel Wing thanks to his time spent with Pidgeotto and Odin. It seemed that Ash's joke so that he could take on a Gym with him only wasn't unfounded. But things turned out otherwise.

The group was walking down a path near a steep cliff when they saw a swarm of Butterfree flying. Brock smiled.

"It seems Butterfree's mating season has begun."

Ash looked at the poké-ball containing Butterfree. Without really thinking, he released him. The purple butterfly looked at him with questioning eyes before noticing the swarm. He looked at his Trainer, asking him if he was certain. Ash nodded.

"It would be selfish of me to keep you by myself when you have a chance to find a mate and have a family."

Butterfree was reluctant to leave Ash, but he understood his reasons. This was a thing he liked in his Trainer. The Pokémon had heard of Trainers who only cared for their Pokémon as long as their were powerful or trained them harshly without caring for their feelings. Being with Ash and the group was fun and he was proud of fighting for the boy. He looked at him and spoke softly before leaving. Lya smirked.

"Butterfree thanks you for giving him a chance to start a new life. You were an amazing Trainer and he was proud to stand by your side during your journey. If someone wants to capture him, he will do his best to avoid being caught because you will always be his Trainer."

Ash looked at his friend and tears fell from his eyes. To spend more time with Butterfree, Silver borrowed a hot-air balloon. In the sky, Butterfree was looking for a mate without much success. Until he saw a pink Butterfree. The moment he set his eyes on her, it was as if the rest of the world faded in oblivion. This girl … he would win her heart, no matter what. He flew straight to her.

( **Auto-translator: ON** )

"Hello?"

The pink Butterfree looked at him, surprised.

"What?"

Butterfree was caught aback. How is it: 'What?' It was mating season for Celebi's sake! He flew so that the sun shone on his wings, making them sparkle like they were covered by diamond dust.

"Well … I was thinking … It's mating season and ..."

The girl looked at her suitor and raised a brow.

"And why you instead of another? We are hundreds out there to be looking for a mate."

"I know! And you're the one I chose."

He wasn't used to be that straightforward but that's what annoyance does to people. The pink Butterfree narrowed her eyes.

"Prove it."

"What?"

The female Pokémon sighed.

"Males … seriously."

She started flying around.

"You want my heart? Man, there are thousands of suitors out there who want the same thing! If you want me, you gotta prove me you're better than them. Competition, you know what it is? Or are you so shy you crumple your wings before a fight?"

The group looked at one another. Silver breathed.

"If he ever mates her, I can tell it won't be peaceful everyday."

"She's as temperamental as Clefairy." Ash sighed. "I feel like Butterfree won't be the man of the house once they are together ..."

Butterfree's eyes widened at the girl's words. Did she really say what he thought she said? His wings stiffened.

"Okay, I get it ..."

He looked at his chosen one.

"You ask me if I crumple my wings before a fight? I may be shy, but I belong to a Trainer. And you know what he said about me? That I could take a whole Gym by myself."

"Really? How 'bout you show it?"

"Gimme a target and you'll see what I make of it."

"Deal."

She showed him a small rock by the cliff. Butterfree gave her a skeptical look. Focusing a little, he unleashed a powerful Gust attack on it. The pink lady nodded.

"Not half bad. But not enough."

Butterfree sighed.

"Guessed so ..."

He acted as if he was returning to his Trainer, but turned around at the last time and blasted the stone with Psychic. The girl had a smirk.

"Nice. Got some more?"

Butterfree grinned. There was a bigger stone on the edge of the cliff. One Bug Buzz, Steel Wing and Hyper Beam later, there was nothing here. The pink Butterfree looked at her suitor with devious eyes and a huge smirk. Next minute the two were dancing like maniacs in the sky. Silver sighed.

"Finally. But Arceus, what do you have to do to get a girl, these days!"

Brock sighed.

"You have no ideas ..."

Before leaving his Trainer for good, Butterfree came to Ash one last time.

"Ash, before I leave, there is something I want to do. We wild Pokémon have a fashion. We have a name only we Pokémon know. Humans are never told it unless they are truly special to us, and even then they are to keep it secret until we tell them otherwise. For a wild Pokémon to give his name to a human, it means the human is precious to us and we have a complete faith in him."

Ash was surprised.

"Really?"

"Yes. Because you were an amazing Trainer and I don't want any other, I am going to tell you my true name as a proof of friendship."

Ash nodded. He understood the value Butterfree gave to it. Lya went to his ear and whispered Butterfree's name.

_Timid Rainbow_

The boy looked at his friend.

"It suits you well."

( **Auto-translator: OFF** )

Butterfree bid the boy one last time and flew with his mate. Ash sighed.

"I miss him already ..."

Silver looked kindly at him.

"Giving his true Pokémon name is something like the rule about Lugia's song. It is so old and important that all Pokémon instinctively know and respect it. Butterfree must really like you."

Ash nodded.

"How about bred Pokémon? Do they have a true name too?"

"No. And that's sad because, more than it is to humans, a Pokémon's name defines what he is. Knowing it is knowing the true nature of the Pokémon, hence the reason only Pokémon know it."

The group kept walking. Ash suddenly turned to Silver.

"Do you know Lya's true name?"

"Yep, and I'm not gonna tell."

"Guessed so."

They followed the road to Saffron City. As they neared the place, Ash noticed Silver was worried.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Yes, unfortunately. I heard about Sabrina, the Gym Leader of the town. She is one of the most powerful Psychics ever seen in the world … and not the most mentally sane person, unfortunately."

Ash looked down.

"Is it serious?"

"Yep. A Psychic is someone who has mental powers such as telekinesis and telepathy. Optionally, through his connection with a Psychic Pokémon such as Alakazam or even Lunatone, they can use Psychic attacks just like a Pokémon, which makes them dangerous to face."

Ash shivered.

"Doesn't sound good at all."

Silver rubbed his shoulder.

"Psychic Pokémon aren't invincible. They are weak to Ghost and Dark types but powerful against Fighting and Poison types. Problem is, none of us have Pokémon like that."

"Wrong. Riyo is a Fighting type."

"Yep."

Brock frowned.

"If I remember well, some of your Pokémon can learn Dark and Ghost attacks. Clefairy can learn Shadow Ball ..."

"Maybe."

They walked to Saffron City in silence, filled with worry. Sure, Psychics weren't totally immune to attacks like Flamethrower or Thunderbolt, but what Silver said about Sabrina didn't omen anything good. It would be Ash's hardest battle, that much was for sure. The first thing that caught them when they entered the town was the silence that prevailed. Silver turned to his student.

"It isn't too late to turn back. Are you sure you want to keep going?"

"I have to. I need eight badges to enter the Conference."

Silver nodded.

"Then I'll do my best to protect you from Sabrina's powers."

Brock frowned.

"What do you mean by that? You speak of Sabrina as if she was a threat to Ash."

"She is, believe me. And a real one. Remember when I said that she wasn't the sanest person around? Actually … I'm afraid she might try to harm Ash during the battle. If she does, woe to her ..."

He said the last sentence with such coldness in his voice that Misty and Brock couldn't help but shiver. They finally reached the arena, only for a man with green clothes and a yellow hat to show up. He frowned.

"You are going to challenge Sabrina, aren't you?"

"We are." Ash answered. "I need the Marsh badge to continue my journey."

The man frowned.

"You do not know Sabrina's real powers. If you really want to travel across Kanto, avoid this Gym."

"Don't worry." Silver replied. "I'm watching his back."

The man looked at Silver and frowned.

"You have no ideas what Sabrina could do. Her powers are beyond that of any Pokémon. She will crush you and inflict you torments greater than death."

Silver's eyes flared in response. In the blink of an eye, his Aura surrounded him, a cold Aura as merciless as the harshest Winter. Cold as Death. The group shivered before the man's power outburst. The man in green did more than that. He stumbled a few steps away, trembling.

"An Aura Guardian! And an Elemental one, at that!"

Silver's eyes narrowed.

"You are a Psychic."

The man nodded.

"Psychics and Aura Guardians are natural enemies. Even though we can be friends, our powers are antagonistic, thus leading to fierce rivalry between the two of our kinds." He frowned. "Your powers … they are stronger than anything I've felt before. I never met Aura Guardians personally. They are too rare for this. But I can tell your powers go far beyond that of a regular Aura Guardian."

Silver slowly lowered his head. This was the closest thing the man would get from a nod.

"Now you understand why I'll be with this boy during his fight. If Sabrina tries anything against him, I can't tell how you will find her after I'm done."

His voice could have frozen a volcano. The man nodded and left. Silver then turned to the kids, causing them to freeze. His usually sapphire-shaded eyes had the color of frost. Just looking at them, one could feel like struck by a dagger. The man looked at the Gym.

"Let's go."

They walked through the Gym. The place was in fact an institute for fellow Psychics to train their powers. Thanks to Silver's powerful Aura, no one dared to approach them. Yet, Ash couldn't deny he was nervous. Silver had never really showed how far his powers went. As much as his protection made him feel safe, the sheer power his mentor used against the man in green frightened him. The moment he saw those two frozen eyes, the boy could tell that Silver meant it when he said Sabrina would regret it if she harmed him. The man would really kill for the boy he saw as his son. And by killing, it could well be a slow and painful death or a swift end given in a flash of silver. They finally reached the arena.

Sabrina was a rather young woman with long and straight black hairs, blue eyes, a short red dress, long black tights and a threatening look. She was holding a doll in her arms. Upon seeing the group, her eyes narrowed.

"So you are the ones who came to challenge me. You fools."

Silver stood before the group.

"We are here for a Pokémon battle. Ash here wants to win the Marsh badge. I am simply here to make sure you don't try anything twisted against him."

Sabrina merely grinned.

"So you are his shield. How pathetic. So be it, I will fight the boy. But if he loses, you and your friends will woe the day you came into Saffron City."

"I don't think so. If Ash loses, he will acknowledge his defeat and we will leave this place as we came."

Sabrina's eyes flared.

"No you're not! This _my_ Gym! Those who enter must abide by _my_ rules!"

"I am not any people ..."

Silver and Sabrina glared at each other in a duel of power and will. Though it was invisible, one could feel Aura and spiritual energy clashing in the air. Sabrina was the first to retire.

"Let's fight."

She took a poké-ball.

"Abra, go!"

Silver turned to Ash.

"Don't worry, I'm watching over you."

Though he had been out-rightly threatening two seconds ago, when he spoke to his student, his voice was warm and reassuring. Ash nodded.

(Play [The 13th Struggle](https://youtu.be/J5DZZVLqxVA), Kingdom Hearts II)

"Pikachu, I choose you!"

Pikachu jumped from Ash's shoulder. Silver looked at him.

"Better get ready, Pikachu. This battle is actually gonna be a challenge."

And a challenge it was. No matter how fast Pikachu was, Abra kept teleporting around, dodging any strike the electric mouse aimed at him. Silver frowned. Such behavior was abnormal. It was as if Abra could foretell what Pikachu would do. Problem is, as far as the man knew, Abra couldn't learn or have the move Foresight. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in the weft of Power. Here, he could see the different forces at work. What he saw made him freeze as surely as a knife under Ash's throat. Sabrina was not only using her psychic abilities to control Abra, but she also used them to read Ash's mind. Worse, it was as if the Pokémon and his Trainer were one single spiritual entity. He felt Sabrina get bored of the fight and decide to end it. His mind returned in the real world at the second Sabrina made Abra evolve into Kadabra. Then things turned from a challenge to a massacre.

Pikachu launched an area-wide Thunderbolt. Kadabra merely looked at the attack coming and focused his powers. The electricity gathered in a single attack that took the shape of a dragon head and rushed straight at the mouse. Sabrina was going for the kill. Silver growled. He knew Ash couldn't recall Pikachu because of the creature's distaste for being in a poké-ball. Diving once more in the weft of Power, he focused on the link between Kadabra and his mistress. Sabrina felt it and snarled loudly.

"No, you don't!"

She diverted a part of her powers to counter the adventurer, and from there it escalated in a full-scale mental duel between the two. And while they were fighting, Kadabra was relentlessly attacking Pikachu. Ash didn't know what to do. He saw his two closest friends fight for their life and there wasn't a single thing he could do! He closed his eyes and started to cry, but not in sadness. It was of powerlessness. Energy slowly built inside of him. It came from his heart and guts and rose through his throat like a wave, passed in his arms, reached his head. His hands opened, aiming straight at Sabrina …

A powerful buzzing sound filled the place. It was so disturbing that it managed to interupt Silver and Sabrina's duel, as well as severely perturb Kadabra who clutched his head in his hands and howled in pain. Sabrina was also in pain. Silver, Pikachu, Ash, Misty and Brock were suddenly lifted in the air and carried all the way out of the Gym. Silver fell to his knees.

"Phew, close call!"

(End music)

Ash said nothing. He was closely hugging Pikachu, whose battle had severely weakened. Tears were still falling from his eyes. Brock and Misty took a long breath.

"I don't know who saved us, but he came just in time."

This is when Ash snapped out and realized their situation. He weakly nodded.

"Right. We've been saved."

Silver looked at the sky … and gasped.

"Ash, look!"

Ash frowned and looked at the place Silver was starring. Two Butterfree were flying side by side. One of them was bright pink. Ash's eyes widened.

"Butterfree!"

The butterfly Pokémon came to his former master and nuzzled him. Ash hugged him.

"Butterfree! I'm so happy to see you!"

The pink Butterfree landed by his side.

( **Auto-translator: ON** )

"Well, it seems we came just in time."

"How did you save us?" Lya asked.

The girl looked at her.

"When Rainbow said you were going to Saffron City, I bugged him so we would follow you. Everyone in the vicinity knows about Sabrina, the Mind Witch. As soon as Rainbow told me of your plans, we left to follow you, knowing you wouldn't have a chance against this woman. She's just too powerful. And I talk by experience ..."

Silver frowned.

"What do you mean, miss..."

"Call me Bubble."

"Bubble?"

"Yes. My real name is Bubblegum but I totally hate it..."

Silver chuckled.

"With a temper like yours, it's understandable. Anyway, what did you mean about talking from experience?"

Bubble looked down.

"Three years ago, my Trainer set to challenge Sabrina. We fought the Witch and I lost. But Sabrina wasn't finished. She broke my Trainer's mind and would've broken me too if Maria didn't release me at the last minute. I fled but never forgot this day..."

Ash looked down.

"A chance Silver was with me, then."

"You have no ideas. Aura Guardians of this level are rarer than stardust."

Brock looked at the pink Butterfree.

"Do you know of a way to defeat Sabrina?"

"Yes. Ghost and Dark Pokémon are hardly affected by Psychic ones. Same goes with Bug-types, but we are so weak compared to some of the larger Pokémon..."

Rainbow looked at his mate.

"You talked about a place where Ghost Pokémon could be found."

"Right, the Tower of Terror of Lavender Town. It is haunted by a gang of Ghost types. I try to avoid the area. Those four have… a weird sense of humor to say the least. And it's always the night. I hate nighttime."

Ash looked at Pikachu's weak form.

"Then Lavender Town it is."

Silver looked at his student. His voice was as hard as steel. He nodded.

"Yeah, let's go."

( **Auto-translator: OFF** )

They followed the Butterfree couple to the sinister Lavender Town. As Bubble said, the place was caught in a perpetual night. She led them to the Tower of Terror. If the town was sinister, the tower was even more. Tall, with windows shaped like an evil face and two horn-like decorations on each side to strengthen this feeling. The pink Butterfree stopped here. No way in the world she was entering the place. Rainbow stayed with her, as well as Misty and Brock, who the place was totally frightening. Silver looked at Ash. He had given Pikachu to Brock for care so, while the two would look for Ghost Pokémon, the Breeder would heal the little mouse back to health. Ash looked at the tower. Not once, despite his known fear of ghosts, did he shiver or show any sign of being afraid. The two entered the place.

Lil' Haunter was wandering the dusty corridors of the tower. His elder brothers were watching those stupid humorous shows again and it was totally boring him. Ghastly, his younger brother, had gone playing pranks on some people who had sneaked in the tower earlier on, leaving him all alone. He thought about heading for the playing ground before deciding against it. He was getting too old for them … A noise made him jump. Surprised, he hid in a wardrobe in time to see two persons, a man with silver hairs and a boy in a blue jacket. The two were looking around in search of something. This got Lil' Haunter's curiosity. Silent as a shadow, he hid in their back and followed them.

Silver and Ash entered a large resting room. Ash sighed.

"We've been in this tower for an hour now and I didn't see a single Ghost Pokémon."

"Don't worry." Silver smiled. "There's one right in our back. He's been following us for some time."

Lil' Haunter gasped. How could the man have noticed him? The kid asked the question, causing Silver to wink.

"I have Aura senses. As silent as the kid may be, I still felt his presence."

Lil' Haunter backed up in surprise. The man had Aura? No ways! He looked at him with a deep frown. Big Bro Gengar told him countless times of the legends regarding the Ancients, those people who once appeared three thousand years ago and taught Pokémon to live in harmony with the world. According to Gengar, every Ancient could manipulate Aura. More, a lot of them were able to control the elements with their powers. It was Elemental Aura, and now only the most powerful Guardians could use it. Because they had been the Pokémon's teachers, any Pokémon meeting an Ancient had to show him utter respect. It was a rule as sacred as Lugia's Song or the Real Name. However, as civilization took in importance, the Ancients slowly disappeared, leaving only the gift of Aura in inheritance, as well as their wisdom. The two men turned to the small Ghost type who slowly levitated to them. The younger boy was curious.

"Silver, what is that?"

The man smiled.

"This is a Haunter, Ghastly's evolved form. It and its evolved forms have the reputation to be little pranksters."

Ash raised a brow.

"He doesn't look scary for a Ghost."

Lil' Haunter looked at the two.

"Haunter … haunter? Haunter?"

The little creature seemed curious about the two Trainers. Silver bent his head on the side.

"What do you want, little one?"

"Haunter … Haunterter?" (Err … Are you an Ancient?)

Silver raised a brow.

"What makes you think I am?"

"Terter haunter. Haunhaunter-terhaun." (You've got Aura. And there's a tail in your back.)

"What if I'm one?"

Lil' Haunter looked down. He was curious about the Ancients and the world outside the tower. Contrary to his brothers who were happy living in this place, the Pokémon longed to travel and discover new things. Unfortunately, even though the man had Aura and looked like an Ancient, he wasn't very talkative about it. Ash looked at the Gas Pokémon.

"Haunter, I need your help."

Lil' Haunter turned to the kid and raised a brow in interrogation. The boy explained.

"I come back from Saffron City. There's a woman here who control Psychic Pokémon. I need the help of a Ghost type to defeat her."

The Haunter's eyes lit up. The kid was offering him the chance he so wanted to take. He was offering him to come along! Well, alright, it was to fight a Psychic. But hey, if he wanted to keep him afterward, why not? As long as he got to travel … He eagerly nodded.

"Ter-haunter haunt, terter'haunter haunter-haunt." (Alright, but in exchange, I want to go with you.)

Ash's eyes lit up after Lya translated.

"Alright, works for me!"

He took a poké-ball and was about to trap the creature in it when a bigger Haunter appeared.

"Haunter!"

Lil' Haunter flinched as his elder twin appeared.

"Terter haunter haunter haunhaunt ter ter?" (What the hell do you think are you doing?)

The smaller Haunter glared at his twin.

"Haunterhaunt." (I'm leaving.)

"Haunter? Haunter haunter'ter?" (What? Are you out of your mind?)

A fierce argument started between the two. The bigger haunter was more than reluctant to let his twin travel with Ash and the group while the little one was just as determined to get off of this place and discover the world. A Ghastly and a Gengar appeared, alerted by the noise.

"Gengar'gar gengar?" (What's happening here?)

The two Haunters quickly summed up the situation. Gengar looked at the two, then at the Haunters. He finally nodded and spoke. Lya translated.

"Gengar is alright to let Lil' Haunter travel with Ash, but before he does, there is something he must go through."

Silver frowned.

"What is it?"

Gengar whispered his idea to the man who grinned.

"Alright. Ash, lay down and close your eyes."

Ash was surprised but obeyed. He had a complete trust in his mentor. Gengar came to the boy and plunged his hand in Ash's body. When he retired it, he was holding Ash's soul. The boy opened his eyes, surprised … and screamed when he saw his body lying lifelessly. He looked at the Gengar.

"What did you do?"

Silver looked at the boy. Despite being a ghost, thanks to his Aura, the man could sense the soul of his student.

"Gengar took your soul off of your body. Since you want a Ghost type in your team, Gengar wants you to experience what it is to be a ghost."

Ash sighed. So it was just that? Well, nothing to worry about, then. He let the four ghost types take him out of the tower and to the sky. As a ghost, Ash was immaterial … and could levitate. He quickly discovered the happiness of flight and the feeling of freedom it hatched inside of him. He pulled some pranks on Brock and Misty, laughing wholeheartedly at his friends' fright. But more than anything, he discovered the beauty of the night. The wind blew in the trees, his voice whispering in his ears, the moon smiled in the sky, the rightful queen of the dark, the stars twinkled, their light an answer to his smile. Ash almost regretfully returned in his body. When he woke up, he sighed.

"It was amazing. I will never be afraid of ghosts or the night anymore."

Silver smiled kindly and took a dagger. On the frame of a window, he wrote a poem.

_Whispers of the wind_   
_Wink from the moon and the stars_   
_Nighttime_

Ash chuckled. Silver didn't do it often, but at times he would take a bit of paper or anything that fell under his hand and write a short poem that was a little like Professor Oak's haiku. He would also make longer poems out loud, but those little three-verse sonnets were never spoken, only written. Silver once told Oak that Guardian Poetry was never spoken, only written. Spoken, it would lose its purity. Ash never really understood what his mentor meant by that but, every times he read his creations, he couldn't help but feel there was a hidden meaning behind them. It was weird.

Lil' Haunter was finally trapped in a poké-ball, enabling the two to leave. When Misty and Brock saw them, they grinned.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"We wouldn't be there otherwise." Ash grinned.

He showed them the little Ghost Pokémon.

"Haunter wants to travel with us. He was getting bored staying in the tower all the time."

The bigger Haunter suddenly appeared, a frown on his face. Silver was surprised. Had the creature changed his mind? It wasn't the case. Actually, Haunter was worried. He and his brothers knew about Sabrina's reputation and the Gas Pokémon wanted to make sure his twin was alright, at least until Ash was finished with the Psychic girl. Butterfree and his mate big goodbye to the group and decided to go find a place to settle while the group headed once more to Saffron City, Ash determined to get his revenge. As they walked in the town, Silver spoke.

"There's a way to win against Sabrina. During my fight with her, I noticed she was closely linked to Kadabra. More, she was using her powers to read your thoughts. Technically speaking, defeating an opponent who can see in your head is impossible. However, using Psychic powers requires focus. If we want to win, we have to break this focus."

"And … how do we do that?" Ash asked.

Silver grinned deviously and turned to the elder Haunter.

"With him."

He quickly explained his plan. Ash's eyes lit up. It was simply genial! Misty and Brock grinned. This time, they would win. They headed to the Gym where Sabrina was waiting for them.

"You're back … with a Ghost Pokémon."

Ash smiled confidently.

"Yes. Prepare to hand the Marsh badge. This time, I don't lose!"

Sabrina frowned.

(Play [The Encounter](https://youtu.be/hZO1yinBXq4), Kingdom Hearts II)

"Go, Kadabra."

"Haunter!"

The two Pokémon appeared. Remembering Sabrina could read minds, he let her make the first move.

"Kadabra, Psychic."

Being half-Poison type, Haunter was vulnerable to Psychic attacks. On the other side, his Ghost type made him fairly efficient against Psychic types. It would be a hard fight. Thanks to his small size, Haunter was able to evade the Psychic attack.

"Haunter, use Shadow Ball!"

Haunter nodded and launched a dark sphere of energy to Kadabra. As Ash hoped, the Pokémon teleported, only for the ball to follow him. No matter how many times Kadabra tried to evade the attack, it kept coming back at him. The Shadow Ball finally hit the Pokémon, only for Sabrina to give an order.

"Recover."

The damage of the attack disappeared in a blink. Silver turned to the elder Haunter and nodded. Haunter immediately started to goof around, much to Sabrina's displeasure. Down the battlefield, Lil' Haunter was holding his own better than Ash thought he would despite his battle inexperience. His only moves were Lick, Shadow Ball and Shadow Claw, and with only these moves, he was able to evade Kadabra's attacks and place a few counters … that disappeared immediately thanks to Refresh. Seeing his younger twin in troubles, Haunter goofed harder. Sabrina growled at the Pokémon's antics. Unbeknownst to her, these antics were part of Silver's plan. In order for Ash to win, they had to get Sabrina not to focus on the fight. Kadabra would then stop focusing and Lil' Haunter could win. The plan worked. Sabrina had more and more troubles working on the battle with Haunter sticking tongues and making faces. Finally, something totally unexpected happened.

After a particularly daring taunt, the Gym Leader started to grin. Soon, the grin became a huge smile and, before she noticed it, the woman was laughing out loud. Kadabra, being linked to her, rolled on the ground, just as happy as she was. The elder Haunter and the Gym Leader laughed like this for a moment and, to everyone's surprise, her white doll disappeared. Silver smiled.

"Kadabra is unable to fight. The winners of this battle are Ash and Haunter."

(End music)

Sabrina slowly came back to her senses and looked at the group. Misty was surprised by the change in her face. Instead of being cold and merciless, they looked … normal. The woman spoke.

"Thank you for your help."

Ash raised a brow.

"Your help?"

Sabrina looked down.

"Yes. Thanks to Haunter's antics, I was able to solve my multiple personality disorder."

Silver frowned.

"I knew you weren't exactly sane, but I didn't think it was something like that."

Sabrina sat down.

"My Psychic powers appeared when I was young. Ever since, I was obsessed with developing them. I started to reject all of my feelings, which took the shape of the doll in my hands, and grew this ruthless personality that battled you. But thanks to Haunter's antics, I was able to remember what it is to have fun and my personalities merged back into one."

She took a circular golden badge.

"Here, you deserve it. However, I have something I need to ask."

"What is it?"

"I want Haunter to stay with me. I'm afraid I will turn evil again without someone to distract me like he does."

Ash turned to the elder Haunter.

"How about it? Do you want to stay?"

The Haunter gladly obliged. At last someone liked his sense of humor! Ash placed the Marsh badge alongside the others in his badge case. Sabrina looked at it.

"It's a wonderful box. Who gave it to you?"

"Silver. I received it after I won the Thunder badge."

Sabrina nodded. The Haunter twin bid each other farewell and the group left Saffron City to new adventures. Ash was happy. He made new friends, helped Sabrina, won a new badge and gained a new Pokémon. Yep, he was indeed doing fine.


	8. The path to mastery

Listen all you people, come gather round.  
I gotta get me a game plan, gotta shake you to the ground,  
But just give me, huh, what I know is mine.  
People, do you hear me, just gimme the sign.  
It ain't much I'm asking, if you want the truth,  
Here's to the future for the dreams of youth.

I want it all!  
I want it all!  
I want it all and I want it now!  
[I want it all](https://youtu.be/Odkv4aE3pTI), Queen

Giovanni was in a bad mood. He walked to the graveyard of Viridian City, Persian at his side. It wasn't the fact that his attack on the S.S. Anne had failed, it was because no one knew what happened to the young Ash Ketchum afterward. He growled. Fortunately, word quickly reached him that the boy and his friends had made it out alive and were continuing their journey. Last time he heard, they had beaten Sabrina and helped restore her sanity. Giovanni had a short laugh. With a mentor like Silver, it was to be expected that the young boy would turn into a hero. He reached a beautiful grave made in black marble with writings of gold. A name was on it, as well as flowers and two pictures. The leader of Team Rocket knelt before it and placed a red rose among the flowers.

"Esme ..."

On the tombstone was engraved:

**_Esmeralda Rocket_ **   
_272-292_   
_Fell protecting the only one that really mattered to her._   
_Always loved, never forgotten._

Giovanni sighed. The two pictures on the grave meant a lot to the man. On the first were four persons. The first was himself, eighteen years ago. On his right was a woman with silver eyes and long red hairs.

"Esme, my love ..."

At his left was a man with spiky black hairs and two lightning birthmarks under his cheeks.

"Bruno, my brother ..."

Left of Bruno was a woman with light brown hairs tied in two braids and light brown eyes.

"Delia ..."

The second picture showed only three persons: Giovanni, Esmeralda and a little boy with red hairs and silver eyes. Giovanni tenderly touched the picture.

"Simon ..."

He closed his eyes and let memories wash over him. Esmeralda had been a wonderful wife and second in command, until that fateful day when the rival Team Dark Moon broke into their home and kidnapped their son, Simon. Esmeralda had put a ferocious resistance, but she had finally been outnumbered and lost her life in the fight. This incident had driven Giovanni into a deep depression … until he heard of an adventurer. This man, the rumor said, was clad in black and wielded a bow and two silver swords. Giovanni would've dismissed them, but the rumors also said the man remained undefeated, both in individual fight and in Pokémon battle. Seeing here his only chance to get his son back, Giovanni had managed to contact the man. Upon hearing his problem, the man had accepted to save his son. Strangely enough, he didn't ask for anything in exchange.

Giovanni chuckled at the memory. Not only did the man single-handedly save his son, but he also eliminated the leaders of Team Dark Moon, thus avenging Esmeralda and disbanding the team. So happy he was to have recovered his child, Giovanni had sworn an eternal debt to the adventurer. The two had been good friends ever since, which was roughly six years ago. Problem is, Simon was an early child. He quickly got into a disagreement with his father and ran away from home a few months after his rescue. Giovanni should've been worried but, fortunately, his old friend promised he would keep an eye on the kid. So far so good, nothing bad had happened. Even better, it seemed the red head had become a strong Trainer in his own rights. But to know what he was doing right now, dream of it. His friend merely told Giovanni his son was doing fine and that's all. But it was enough.

The leader rose and left the grave, but not before glancing at the picture where he, his brother and their wives were together. He rolled his eyes.

"Bruno, you idiot. I know Ash isn't your son, but you could have found a better apology than 'I must continue my journey' to abandon your wife and her child behind. I loved Delia too, you know. Well, at least Silver is watching over them ..."

_On the road between Celadon City and Saffron City_

The sun was high and the day was warm. The group had stopped by a small river and had eaten a good lunch. Now was time for Pokémon care.

Misty released her Pokémon in the river. Goldeen, Starmie, Staryu and Horsea started playing until the Water Trainer called them back. Taking a pumice stone, she scrubbed Goldeen and Horsea's scales before taking a rag and polishing Starmie and Staryu's limbs and jewel. Staryu then sprayed water on Oddish who had his leafs cleaned with a softer piece of tissue. Silver nodded.

"They look in tip-top shape. Now all they need is a good battle."

"You're right." The girl sighed. "It's been long since they did anything but training."

Ash had brushed Pikachu's fur until it shone under the sun with a golden shade and polished Squirtle's shell until he could see his face on it. Pidgeotto had received a good dust bath before having each feather cleaned with care. It was the group's week-end routine: while they trained all afternoon the rest of the week, the week-end was dedicated to care. Silver had insisted on this point that everyone knew to how to keep their Pokémon healthy and sane.

" _Mens sana in corpore sano_. A sane spirit in a sane body. If your Pokémon want to be strong, they must also be maintained with care."

No one had complained. Ash had even stated he liked this. Feeling his Pokémon happy after cleaning them from head to claw was something he saw as very rewarding, at least as much as seeing them win battles. It meant he did a good job. So he was rubbing Charmander's skin while the Fire Pokémon was taking a sunbath on a stone. Bulbasaur was doing photosynthesis in the river while Haunter was waiting for his turn in the shade of a tree. Looking at Pidgeotto, Ash frowned.

"I should switch him with Clefairy in the next town we reach. She should be rested enough now and I know she loves fighting. Besides, Pidgeotto has been with me for long and he's starting to get tired. Some rest at the lab would do him good."

Brock, who was polishing Onix's stone body, nodded.

"That's a good idea. There's a Center nearby. You'll be able to make the transfer here."

Silver looked at Ash. The boy was really getting wiser. Pidgeotto let go of a long sigh. His Trainer was right, he could use some holidays. Misty had turned in a swimsuit and was swimming with her Pokémon when she saw something. It was a small pink Pokémon with bandages on his wrists and stomach. He had brown pants and shoes and his hands had only three fingers. The Pokémon was running. He stopped by the river, looked hastily behind him and took fast gulps of water. Sounds were quickly heard in his back, causing him to gasp. Soon, a boy and a girl appeared.

"There he is!"

"Don't let him go!"

The Pokémon slowly backed up and looked left and right, looking for a way to escape. Misty frowned at the scene, soon joined by Ash, Brock and Silver. Silver looked at the Pokémon.

"That's a Tyrogue!"

Misty turned to him.

"A Tyrogue?"

Silver nodded.

"I'll explain later. For now, wait and see."

The group watched the scene. The boy had brown hairs cut in a bowl and a yellow jacket with blue jeans. An Elekid was at his side. The girl had a pink skirt, white tank-top, red jacket and blonde hairs tied in a braid. A Growlithe was at her side. The boy smirked.

"At last we got him! Let's catch him!"

The Tyrogue stiffened and took a battle stance. He glanced behind him and saw the group. He looked at the two kids, then at the group … Elekid launched Thunder Wave. Tyrogue swiftly shifted his stance and jumped in the river, the attack missing by inches. The Fighting Pokémon tried to escape but he was tired and couldn't properly swim. Brock's eyes widened.

"He's drowning!"

Misty growled.

"Not when I'm around! Goldeen!"

The fish Pokémon obeyed and quickly brought Tyrogue on the shore. Brock looked at his wounds.

"They are serious. He must have fought hard to evade them."

The two Trainers looked at the group.

"Hey, this Tyrogue was our catch! Give it back!"

Silver looked at the two kids.

"As far as I'm concerned, you haven't caught him yet. Fought him, alright. But you failed to catch him when he jumped in the river. Now he's with us and under our care."

The girl growled.

"Gah, I so wanted him in my team … This is so unfair!"

The boy turned to her.

"Stop whining, Dina." He looked at the group. "How about a fight? The winner gets Tyrogue."

Silver turned to the group. Ash and Misty grinned. The Water Trainer looked at the duo, a devious smirk on her face.

"You're lucky, my Pokémon just needed a good match."

The two crossed the river while she was changing. Soon, she and Dina were facing each other. Silver acted as the referee.

"There will be two battles: Misty vs. Dina and Ash vs. Dorian. Since Dina has only four Pokémon, it will be a four against four and switching will be allowed. Begin!"

(Play [Get off my back](https://youtu.be/pZ9aK5FYU_8), Bryan Adams)

Dina took a poké-ball.

"Nidorino, I choose you!"

Misty frowned.

"Nidorino? Alright. Here you go, Staryu!"

The two Pokémon faced each other. Dina was the first to attack.

"Nidorino, Horn Attack!"

"Staryu, dodge and use Power Gem!"

Staryu jumped to avoid Nidorino's charge and emitted a strong laser-like light that sparkled like jewels before hitting the rival Pokémon in the back of the head. Nidorino howled in pain. Misty nodded.

"Well done! Now use BubbleBeam!"

The flow of bubbles exploded hard on Nidorino's skin. Dina growled.

"Don't you think I'm finished! Nidorino, Poison Jab!"

Nidorino's horn glowed purple and he rushed at Staryu, who had landed. Misty shook her head.

"Staryu, give me your strongest Water Gun! And chain with Ice Beam!"

Staryu obeyed. The combo stopped Nidorino's attack and froze him.

"Finish with Rapid Spin!"

The final attack broke the ice and left Nidorino unable to stand. Silver grinned.

"Nidorino is out of the fight! Staryu wins!"

Dina growled.

"You will pay for this! Ivysaur, go!"

Misty frowned. Being a Grass-type, Ivysaur would be a challenge for Staryu. However, the Pokémon was a Grass-Poison type. And Poison types were weak to Psychic types. The frown turned into a grin. She had just what she needed.

"Starmie, go!"

Starmie was a Water type, but he was also half-Psychic. Grass may beat Water, but Psychic beat Poison.

"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!"

"Starmie, Telekinesis!"

The attack stopped the leafs dead on their track. Dina was surprised. Misty raised a brow.

"What? You didn't know that Starmie is half-Psychic? Too bad for you."

Ivysaur was lifted in the air by Telekinesis's power. Misty gave her next order.

"Hyper Beam."

Dina froze.

"Ivysaur, Solar Beam _now!_ "

Too late. Though both attacks took time to charge, Misty had acted first, causing Hyper Beam to strike first. Ivysaur hadn't finished charging Solar Beam yet. The combined explosions completely finished him. Dina stomped the ground.

"Raah, I hate you! You defeated two of my Pokémon! I hate you!"

"Spoiled girl." Silver rolled his eyes.

Dina took another poké-ball.

"Growlithe, make me win!"

Misty raised a brow.

"A Fire Pokémon against a Water type? Well … Horsea should make it. It's his first fight, better start with a type advantage."

Dina growled. So the girl was using her weakest Pokémon to fight her favorite? She was going to pay.

"Growlithe, Flamethrower!"

Misty rolled her eyes. Flamethrower, seriously?

"Horsea, Water Pulse."

The steam of water and the burst of fire collided, collided and filled the area with mist. When it faded, Growlithe was behaving weirdly. Dina raised a brow.

"What happened? Is he confused?"

"It's a side effect of Water Pulse." Silver nodded.

The girl shook her head and whistled her Pokémon. Growlithe shook himself and growled.

"Growlithe, Fire Fangs"

"Horsea, Water Gun!"

Horsea waited and sent a burst of water in the dog Pokémon's mouth. The creature coughed and rolled on the ground in pain. Misty nodded.

"Finish with BubbleBeam!"

The explosive bubbles were enough to drive the Pokémon KO. Silver grinned.

"Misty leads by three to none. Last battle."

"Alright, you asked for it! Voltorb!"

Misty frowned. Her Water Pokémon were at a disadvantage against Electric types. But not all of her Pokémon were Water type …

"Oddish, I choose you!"

"Oddish!"

Dina snarled. It seemed her opponent had an answer to all of her Pokémon.

"Voltorb, Charge Beam!"

Misty shivered.

"Oddish, dig your feet in the ground!"

The strong lightning bolt hit Oddish without hurting him that much, thanks to Misty's idea.

"Retaliate with Energy Ball!"

The green energy sphere hit Voltorb and left some scratches.

"Oddish, stay with your feet in the ground to avoid electric shocks!"

"Dream of it! Voltorb, use Magnet Rise and chain with Thunderbolt!"

Despite Oddish's efforts, he was picked from the ground and hit by a powerful lightning bolt. Misty flinched.

"Damn it! Oddish, let's finish it fast! Use Giga Drain and chain with Seed Bomb!"

"Voltorb, Protect!"

It didn't work. Oddish's leafs glowed green and absorbed Voltorb's life energy. Already weakened by Energy Ball, the Pokémon couldn't protect himself properly against the draining attack. The following Seed Bomb was enough for a finish. Silver raised his left hand.

"Voltorb cannot fight anymore. Dina has no more Pokémon left. Misty wins the match."

(End music)

Misty cheered and looked at her four Pokémon.

"You did a great job, all of you! I'm really proud."

The Pokémon cheered. They didn't get to fight often, but when they did, their Trainer often praised them. Brock looked at Oddish.

"He should evolve soon. Have you an idea what you want as his final form?"

Misty frowned.

"If I remember, after evolving into Gloom, he can evolve into two forms depending if he's exposed to a Leaf Stone or a Sun Stone."

"Right. When exposed to a Leaf Stone, Gloom will evolve into Vileplume, which looks like a rafflesia. When exposed to a Sun Stone, he will evolve into a Bellossom, which looks like a dancer with two flowers on the head and a skirt of leafs." She turned to her Pokémon. "What do you want to evolve into? Vileplume or Bellossom?"

"Oddish-dish oddish od."

"The one you prefer is his answer." Lya translated.

Misty thought a little, remembering how the two Pokémon were like. She smiled.

"Bellossom. It's cuter than Vileplume."

"Oddish!" (Alright!)

Silver chuckled.

"A good thing. Cerulean City is Water oriented. A little diversity won't hurt. It may even serve as a secret weapon in case of losing streak."

Misty strongly agreed. The man turned to Ash.

"Your turn, kid. Show Dorian what you can do ..."

This time, Brock acted as the referee.

"The match will be an all-out six against six between Dorian and Ash. Begin!"

(Play [Seymour Battle Theme](https://youtu.be/dWE0nlhpdq8), from Final Fantasy X)

Dorian's eyes narrowed.

"Tyrogue will be mine! Doduo!"

Ash turned to Pikachu who jumped before his friend.

"Pika!"

Dorian attacked.

"Doduo, Quick Attack! Chain with Drill Peck!"

"Pikachu, Agility and use your own Quick Attack!"

Pikachu started to run around the field, faster than even Doduo. This greatly surprised Dorian. How could a Pokémon be that fast? Pikachu was about to perform Quick Attack when electricity started to cover the mouse Pokémon. Silver's eyes widened.

"Pikachu is using Volt Tackle!"

Ash froze. Quick Attack had evolved into a powerful electric attack. Pikachu rammed in Doduo with such speed and power he sent it rolling in the water. Dorian was stunned.

"No ways …"

It seemed his opponent was stronger than he thought. He took another poké-ball.

"Dugtrio, go!"

Ash looked at his partner.

"You want to keep going?"

Pikachu shook his head and looked at Squirtle. Ash nodded and called the turtle Pokémon. The fight quickly started … and finished. Despite a strong Earthquake attack, Squirtle managed to win by protecting himself with Iron Defense and use Water Gun in the hole they had dug. Damian took a long breath. His opponent was making fun of him and he couldn't stand it. He called for Scyther.

Ash looked at the Pokémon he had.

"Which of you guys is next?"

Pidgeotto landed before him. Dorian smirked.

"An aerial fight, that is. Just to tell you, my Scyther defeated Spearow bigger than your little bird pet."

"Pidgeotto eats Bugs twice this side for breakfast." Ash retorted.

The fight started. As Ash hoped, it was an airborne battle between Scyther and Pidgeotto. Yet the boy had no problem winning. Dodging X-Scissor, retaliating with Gust before chaining with Air Slash and finishing with Wing Attack. Ash would have won this round if Scyther didn't use U-Turn as a last resort and switched with Elekid. The move came completely by surprise and, before Ash could react, Pidgeotto was on the ground, victim of a strong Thunder Punch at point-blank range. Ash congratulated Pidgeotto and returned him in his poké-ball.

"I must really send him to the lab."

He looked at Dorian. Even thought the move was low, it was allowed. The boy frowned and called Bulbasaur.

"Let's avenge Pidgeotto."

Bulbasaur nodded. Damian gave his orders.

"Elekid, Thunder Punch!"

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!"

Bulbasaur caught Elekid in the stomach, thus stopping his attack. He then took him by the leg and swung him around wildly. As a finish, the Grass Pokémon flung the electric Pokémon in the air and used Energy Ball. Elekid fell down, KO. Dorian growled.

"I'm not finished yet! Jynx!"

Ash frowned and returned Bulbasaur. As strong as his friend was, he had no chances against a Pokémon like Jynx. However, Haunter would totally win this round. He called his new friend.

"Haunter?"

Haunter saw the feminine-looking Pokémon and nodded. Ash grinned.

"Haunter, Shadow Claw!"

"Jynx, Aurora Beam!"

Haunter easily dodged the shiny beam and slashed Jynx, causing her to yell in pain.

"Jynx, grab him and Ice Punch!"

Haunter didn't move fast enough and one of his hands was caught in ice. Ash growled.

"Hold on, Haunter! Get ready!"

Haunter stiffened. Dorian grinned.

"Jynx, Psyshock!"

"Haunter, Sucker Punch!"

The strike came totally out of nowhere and hit Jynx in her weakest point: the lips, the most sensitive part of her body. Jynx fell to the ground, paralyzed. One Shadow Ball later, Ash had won. Damian wasn't happy at all with it.

"Scyther, it's to you again!"

"Charmander, time to fight!"

Charmander jumped, full of energy thanks to his sunbath and Ash's care. Needless to say his Flamethrower made short work of Scyther. Dorian growled.

"Charmander? Alright. Let's see how long it will last against mine."

Another Charmander appeared. The two growled at each other. Then, without any order from their Trainer, they attacked. Dorian's Charmander immediately started with Fire Fang, only for Ash's Charmander to jump and use Slash. Ash's Charmander knew Fire attacks weren't that efficient against other Fire Pokémon. So he used physical attacks such as Shadow Claw he learned from Haunter and Iron Tail. After a particularly daring stunt, he jumped in the air, charged Iron Tail and slammed it hard on the other Charmander's head. The strength of the blow caused his opponent to see Torchic for a moment. Ash smiled. He had won. Dorian and Dina looked at the two.

(End music)

"How can you guys be so strong?"

"By training, how else?"

Dina shook her head.

"Seriously. How many badges do you have?"

"Four." Ash answered as he showed them.

Dorian shook his head.

"I have six badges and I've never been defeated like this. You guys are freaks."

The pair ran without looking back. Silver looked at Ash and Misty.

"You two did a great job. Your Pokémon are truly getting strong."

Brock suddenly remembered the Tyrogue he was taking care of. The little creature was looking at them with wide eyes. He slowly rose from his lying position, only to wince. Ash ran at his side.

"Hey, take it easy. You haven't fully recovered yet."

Tyrogue looked at him with gratitude in his eyes. He laid down and fell asleep. Brock frowned.

"That's strange. He didn't say a word since we met him."

Silver nodded. This was indeed strange. Packing their thing, the group reached the Pokémon Center. Silver turned to Ash.

"You want to keep the Tyrogue?"

"I don't know. The woulds he received, he got them trying to escape the duo Misty and I fought off. If he doesn't want to be captured, I won't catch him."

Silver nodded. As always, Ash respected Pokémon feelings. At the Center, they gave their Pokémon for healing as well as the Tyrogue. Once his Pokémon were feeling better, Ash went to the transfer machine and contacted Professor Oak.

"Hello, Professor."

The elder man grinned.

"Hello, Ash. How are you doing?"

"Just fine. I gained the Marsh badge, helped Sabrina, the Gym Leader of Saffron City, and won a Tyrogue after Misty and I beat a duo of Trainers. My Pokémon are doing fine too."

"This is great but … you only got four badges? All your rivals have five by now. And Gary has captured thirty Pokémon."

Ash sighed. He couldn't blame the man for being proud of his grandson. Silver came by the boy's side.

"Really? How about I tell you Ash has gotten a new Pokémon and may well end up with another? And let's not forget Sabrina. Surely, you haven't forgotten her reputation."

Oak froze. Suddenly, something came into his mind. Sabrina was none other than the most powerful Psychic in all Kanto. And Ash… just said…

"Wait, you defeated Sabrina !?"

Ash rolled his eyes, remembering his encounter with the woman.

"Believe me, it wasn't easy. Even with Silver, if Butterfree and his mate didn't save us the first time, I would have been crushed. But I befriended a Haunter I caught and we managed to beat her."

Silver shook his head.

"This isn't the whole story, Ashling."

Oak raised a brow.

"The whole story?"

Silver told the Professor the whole tale, from how Butterfree found a mate and was released to how Sabrina was saved from her mental problems thanks to Haunter's twin. Oak breathed in relief.

"Well, I've got to admit, you did less than your rivals on the Trainer part, but on the other side, your accomplishments aren't to be forgotten."

Ash chuckled.

"Gary and I don't have the same values. He likes to be praised for catching Pokémon, I like to be praised for helping people and we both like being praised for winning battles. By the way, I have an exchange to make."

Oak nodded.

"Which Pokémon will it be?"

"Clefairy. She must be getting restless and Pidgeotto really needs a break."

Oak gladly obliged. Clefairy soon appeared and happily greeted her Trainer.

"It's been time, Clefairy. I'm happy to see Oak took good care of you."

"Clefairy!"

Nurse Joy suddenly appeared.

"Tyrogue is fine. You took good care of him before coming. However, there is a problem."

The group frowned.

"What is wrong?" Silver asked.

"Tyrogue's vocal cords have sustained damages. He is mute."

Ash's eyes widened.

"Really?"

Brock frowned.

"This is why he didn't make a sound ever since we met him. He just couldn't."

Misty was worried.

"Did it come from his fight with the Trainers?"

"No, the wound is older. He's been mute for some time now, at least more than a year."

Oak frowned.

"Well, this is a strange creature you got, Ash."

Ash shook his head.

"I don't have him yet. Tyrogue fought hard not to get captured. I don't want to catch him if it goes against his wishes."

Oak raised a brow.

"Keep thinking like this and you won't catch many Pokémon."

"What tells you I want to do that? I like training Pokémon. If I had too much Pokémon, I wouldn't be able to train each of them properly."

Oak nodded. Ash and Gary were almost polar opposites, he could see this now. Their way to walk the path of Mastery was radically different, to the point you could barely compare them because they stood in different areas. The group watched as Tyrogue came to them. The Fighting type bowed before them, much to their surprise. Silver chuckled.

"When someone bows like this, it is a sign of gratitude. Tyrogue is thanking us for saving him from Dina and Dorian, right?"

The baby Fighting type nodded. Ash came to him.

"Tyrogue, I know that you did your best to evade these two, so this is why I prefer to ask you first. Do you want to join my team?"

Tyrogue looked at the Pokémon surrounding the boy. They were healthy, happy and he could feel the power each possessed. He looked at the boy, worry in his eyes.

"Don't worry. I promise I'll take good care of you. Just look at my friends. None of them ever complained about my way of treating them."

Tyrogue thought a little before nodding. Ash turned to the group.

"Before I trap you, I have to send one of the group to the lab. Let's see … Squirtle. Alright?"

Squirtle nodded and was sent to the lab. Ash then trapped Tyrogue in a poké-ball. Oak smiled.

"This is the first Fighting type you caught, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, be careful. I heard Tyrogue need regular training if they want to avoid stress."

"Don't worry about it." Ash smirked. "If you knew our routine, you wouldn't say this."

"Routines?"

Misty explained how a regular day occurred with them. Morning training between Ash and Silver, breakfast, travel, lunch, Pokémon training, a little more travel, dinner, free time and sleep. The week-end, Pokémon training was replaced by Pokémon caring. Oak was happy to learn this. He was even happier to learn that Silver was keeping Ash in good shape.

"The others have left Celadon City. If you don't want to fall too far behind, I suggest you head this way."

"We were already going there." Ash answered.

The group left the Center. In order to help communicate with the others, Silver taught Tyrogue to use a form of sign language the group learned alongside. The three digits of the creature didn't cause any problem: Silver had taken it into account and developed a more iconographic version of the traditional sign language taught to deaf people. When Tyrogue wanted something, he joined his hands into a bowl and held them almost in a pleading way. When he was curious about something, he showed it, made a confused face and bent his head in the side. Even though it was mainly for Tyrogue to communicate with the others, Ash and the others also learned it to understand what he was saying … and ended up being able to use it too. It became a kind of game for them to speak without making a sound. People would give them weird looks but it was totally worth it.

Before he started training his new friend, Ash first had Silver tell him what he knew about the Pokémon, something his mentor gladly did.

"Tyrogue is a 'baby Pokémon'. As Oak said, he needs strict training routines to remain in shape."

"How about his evolution?"

"Tyrogue can evolve in three different forms depending of his Attack and Defense stats. If his Attack is higher than his Defense, he will become a Hitmonlee. If his Defense if higher than his Attack, he will become a Hitmonchan. Finally, if his Attack and his Defense are equal, he will become a Hitmontop."

Ash nodded. Silver had pictures of the three Hitmon. He showed them to Tyrogue.

"Tyrogue, before we begin training, I want to know in what you want to evolve so I can adapt my training ways. Well?"

Tyrogue immediately showed Hitmontop. Silver smiled.

"Hitmontop's fighting style is similar to capoeira, a form of martial art where one fights using kicks and spins. I'm quite good at it so I should be able to teach you."

He then saw Ash's expecting eyes.

"What? You want to learn it too?"

"Why not?"

Silver sighed.

"Alright, then."

So, every morning, Tyrogue joined Silver and Ash in their training. Silver taught the two capoeira but, because he has been learning Taichi so far, Ash would often include bits of it in his moves. Silver didn't complain. Taichi was a defensive martial art used to relax and based on using the opponent's strength against him. Capoeira was more artistic, but also more aggressive. When master and student faced each other, Ash would often use Taichi moves to destabilize Silver before chaining with hard kicks and edge of the hand when it wasn't elbow in the spine. A chance the elder man was battle-hardened …

The group finally reached Celadon City. When Silver told them the Gym here was specialized in Grass, no one believed him. How could a place with so many high skyscrapers have a plant-themed gym? Silver showed them perfume shops and they all understood. The place was Kanto's capital of perfume. Silver turned to Ash.

"It would make a nice present to your mother to give her a perfume from Celadon."

Ash grinned.

"Her birthday is in two weeks. It's a great idea."

Silver took the group to a small perfume shop. Ash looked at the articles.

"Let's see ..."

A woman appeared.

"Are you looking for something?"

"Yes. Mom's birthday is in two weeks and I'd like to buy her a perfume from Celadon City. Something sweet and a little floral-themed."

"Here."

She showed him two bottles. One was orange and had an Arabian design while the other was yellow with a more flower-oriented shape.

"This perfume is called Dreams of Orient and is made with Argan oil and orange flower. The other is called Sweet Summer and was composed using different honey-making flowers such as acacia and lavender."

Ash smelled the two perfumes and decided for the first one.

"Could you wrap it, please? It's a present."

"Of course!"

The perfume box was wrapped in orange paper with golden ribbon. Ash added a small birthday note.

"She's totally going to love it."

Silver came to the counter.

"I heard that those perfumes are produced in the Celadon Gym. Could one of you Miss ask Erika if she's free for a battle?"

The woman at the counter smiled.

"You just did it."

The group turned to the woman. Erika was a young woman dressed in traditional Japanese fashion. Ash rose from his seat.

"You're the Gym Leader?"

Erika nodded.

"I can't refuse a match to a sweet boy who bought a perfume for his mother's birthday. Follow me, I will take you to the Gym."

The Gym was a huge greenhouse filled with Grass types. Erika took the group to the battlefield.

"This will be a three-to-three. Are you ready?"

"Yep."

Ash knew exactly what Pokémon he would choose. Erika smiled.

"Let's start! Tangela!"

(Play [Derezzed](https://youtu.be/F4eccPBFEjE), Daft Punk)

"Clefairy!"

Clefairy jumped from her poké-ball.

"Clefa-clefairy fa!" (At last a real battle!)

Ash chuckled.

"As battle-ready as ever, are you? Let's start with Psychic."

Clefairy nodded and sent a burst of mental power to Tangela.

"Tangela, retaliate with Vine Whip!"

Clefairy shook her head. Thanks to her natural agility, she had no problem dodging the vines.

"Clefairy, grab those vines and slam Tangela down before using Return!"

Clefairy gladly obliged. She grabbed Tangela's vines and started to swing him around before jumping and channeling power in her fist. The following attack wasn't Return. It was Meteor Mash. Clefairy's yellow fist connected with the Vine Pokémon and dug a crater in the ground. Clefairy stretched. Erika nodded.

"Your Clefairy is powerful. But the last attack you ordered was wrong."

Ash rubbed the back of his neck.

"My Pokémon always do that when they want to show me a new move. First time it happened with her, she used Drain Punch on a Hitmonchan. She totally owned him."

Erika laughed.

"Your Pokémon must love you a lot. I can tell you're very in-tune with them."

Ash lowered his head.

"My mentor told me about the different Trainer categories. According to him, I am a Fighter, a Trainer and a Healer. This ability I have must come from the last category."

Erika nodded. This Trainer was indeed special.

"You're different from the other Trainers I faced. Let's see how you will do against Weepinbell."

Ash looked at Clefairy.

"Want to continue?"

Clefairy nodded.

"Alright. Then let's go with a blast. Iron Tail!"

"Weepinbell, Razor Leaf!"

"Clefairy, leave it touch you and use Drain Punch!"

Clefairy nodded and withstood Weepinbell's attack. Her fist turned green and she hit Weepinbell with a powerful strike, damaging it and sucking its energy. She followed with an Iron Tail that sent it reeling. Silver whistled.

"Those days of rest did Clefairy the greatest good. She's even more powerful than ever!"

"Well, I'm not going to complain. She and Pikachu can really take a Gym by themselves."

"Keep training your Pokémon like you do and they all will, even Tyrogue."

Ash nodded and looked at Clefairy.

"Still keeping up or you want to leave the last to someone else?"

"... Clefairy."

She left the field with a satisfied smile and stretched.

"Cle-clefairy ryfai fairy. Clefai-ry." (This battle was perfect to get back in the mood. I feel better.)

Ash nodded.

"Well, let's see. Charmander or Tyrogue?"

(End music)

He didn't have time to choose. Fire suddenly appeared appeared alongside a group of Grass Pokémon.

"What's happening?" Erika asked.

A woman answered.

"Some poachers tried to enter and accidentally made a bomb explode. It set fire to the plants!"

Silver growled.

"We have to stop it now! Odin!"

Odin appeared.

"Let's put this fire out! Blizzard!"

Everyone immediately got to work but the fire went out of control. A man looked at the burning Gym.

"This is useless! There's nothing we can do!"

Horsea suddenly appeared and launched an energy ball in the air. A heavy rain immediately fell and extinguished the fire. Erika looked around.

"Gloom! I can't find her!"

Ash frowned.

"She must still be in the Gym! I'll go get her!"

Erika tried to stop him.

"Wait, the fire isn't completely out yet!"

Ash didn't listen and ran. Thanks to the rain, his jacket was drenched and protected him against the fire. He finally saw the Pokémon surrounded by flames and wrapped his jacket around her. Erika was relieved to see him come back. She took something from her pocket. It was a flower-shaped pin whole petals were like a rainbow.

"Here it is, the Rainbow badge."

Ash was surprised.

"But … I didn't win our battle! It hasn't ended yet!"

Erika shook her head.

"You defeated two of my Pokémon and saved Gloom, who is my most precious Pokémon. You aren't like the other Trainers I met. You are different, I can sense it. This is why I want to give you this badge. Believe me, you deserved it."

Ash accepted and placed the badge alongside the others. Soon, they were on the road again. During a trip in a town, Brock befriended a fellow Breeder who entrusted him with her favorite Pokémon, a Vulpix. The creature was shy and Flamethrowered anyone apart from Brock that tried to touch her, but Lya helped her lighten up a little. A little. Misty also caught a dumb Psyduck by accident but couldn't really release him. As a Water Trainer, she couldn't refuse to train a Water Pokémon.

This afternoon was going quite well. Ash and Misty were training under the careful eye of their teacher while he taught Brock more about Vupix and how to take care of Fire Pokémon. Tyrogue placed his head on the ground and did a head-stand. Slowly he raised his body up. Ash was nearby to catch him in case of fall. Silver nodded.

"Good. Now, remove a hand."

Tyrogue gulped. This wasn't going to be easy. He slowly removed a hand and almost lost his balance but Ash caught him. The boy chuckled.

"It's not easy, is it?"

Tyrogue nodded as strongly as he could in his situation. Ash gave him a kind smile.

"Don't worry, I have troubles doing it too. And I'm heavier than you are."

In order to keep his balance, Tyrogue had to spread his legs. It worked better than he thought. Silver nodded.

"Now, put your hand down the ground and spin your legs."

Tyrogue obeyed once more. He was practicing his capoeira moves, which wasn't exactly easy given his frail constitution. But he was working hard, and seeing his Trainer going through the same pain to learn alongside him boosted his motivation. They cartwheeled, made a somersault, rolled, delivered a high kick before using their momentum to put their hands on the ground, spin their legs and land straight on their feet. Silver nodded.

"Good job. Take a break."

The pair had been training for an hour non-stop. Now was time to see how the others were doing. Clefairy was practicing her punches and kicks by parrying Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf attack and was doing a fairly good job so far. She looked like a ninja moving her limbs to parry each leaf Bulbasaur was sending at her. Bulbasaur charged a Solar Beam and sent it at her. Clefairy jumped and charged a Drain Punch but Bulbasaur caught her in his Vine Whip and threw her against a tree. Clefairy recovered in mid-jump and landed feet-first on the trunk before using her jumping power to rocket to Bulbasaur, a Meteor Mash in her hand. Bulbasaur launched an Energy Ball that collided with her. The attack caused a small explosion. After all, it was just training.

A little away, Pikachu was practicing Volt Tackle by dodging Razor Leaf from Oddish. He was looking like a zigzagging golden arrow as he rushed to a stump and blasted it to wooden slivers. Haunter was working on a new move, Dark Pulse, by focusing his Shadow Ball and shooting it as a beam. It wasn't easy at all but the little Ghost type was doing his best, like everyone. His target was Staryu, who used Protect to foil the attack. Not that he had to use it often. Finally, Charmander was helping the dim-witted Psyduck to get a hold on his psychic powers. It quickly appeared that Misty's Psyduck suffered from a continuous headache due to having over-powerful psychic powers … that only appeared when his headache became serious. But when they did, it was a bloodshed, simple as that. When he saw them for the first time, Silver went as far as suggesting returning to Saffron City so that Sabrina makes something about it. The group retorted that they had a journey to make and they didn't have fond memories of the place. The man subsequently dropped the subject.

Tyrogue was kicking a rock when he saw something on the road. It was a Hitmonchan. The group immediately came and watched the creature. After running a few steps, the Fighting Pokémon launched several punches. Ash raised a brow.

"I wonder if he's wild."

Tyrogue looked at it and shook his head. He made several signs in the air and looked at the creature. Ash nodded.

"A wild Hitmonchan doesn't behave like that, alright. How do you know that?"

(My grandfather was a Hitmonchan. My father was a Hitmonlee.) He looked down. (Mom was a Machoke, just like Grandma. Grandpa and Grandma last breathed a few years ago, leaving me, Mom and Dad alone. Our life was fine until a Trainer came. Mom and Dad fought his Pokémon but they were too strong. They told me to run before being captured. I managed to escape and survived for a few days … until I met the two Trainers you fought off.)

Silver frowned.

"Sad story. But unfortunately, that's how life is these days ..."

(Right.)

Ash looked at Tyrogue.

"Well, it costs nothing to challenge it. Just for a spar, to see how you would do in a real fight."

Tyrogue nodded. He hardly got the occasion to battle since he started to journey with the group. He came to the Hitmonchan and bowed before taking a fighting stance. The Hitmonchan was surprised.

"Hit … Hitmon-monchan chan? Chan-hitmon monchan, chanmon?" (You … you want to challenge me? You're not exactly big, you know?)

Tyrogue stood harder on the ground. Hitmonchan shrugged.

"Monchan." (I've warned you.)

He threw a fist Tyrogue dodged in a spinning move he used to power a Low Sweep. The Punching Pokémon jumped, caught by surprise by the sudden pain.

"Hit-monchan ..." (You kick hard …)

Tyrogue made a series of moves his Trainer translated.

"That's what he does the best."

Tyrogue glared fiercely at his evolved form. Hitmonchan aimed a fist to his face, only for the baby Pokémon to dodge in a back-flip and hit the offending hand with his feet. He rotated and kicked Hitmonchan's legs twice. Hitmonchan growled. The worst part is that he couldn't even blame his young opponent: he was twice as tall as the boy! Go hit higher than the belt when you're so short! A muscular man soon appeared.

"Hitmonchan, what are you doing? Why is that shrimp still standing?"

Ash and Tyrogue froze at the insult. The bodybuilder looked at his Pokémon.

"Use Close Combat and finish him with Sky Uppercut. Come on! You should have done it long ago!"

Hitmonchan growled and showed his Trainer his legs. They were covered with bruises. The man looked at Tyrogue.

"And you say he's the one who did it? Seriously ..."

Tyrogue raised a brow and turned to Ash, who nodded. He started performing the little routine he did with his Trainer. Cartwheels, flips, somersaults, hand-stands … all of them perfectly timed. He even showed his Brick Break and Low Sweep. The man was surprised.

"Well, that's one nicely trained Pokémon, and I know what I'm talking about. Are you the one who did it?"

Ash shook his head.

"I only helped him learn attacks. For the rest, my mentor started teaching me and him capoeira some time ago already."

The man looked at Silver, the only adult of the group. He glanced back at Tyrogue and nodded in appreciation.

"You should try entering him to the P1 Grand Prix that will happen soon. The arena is just ahead of this road. I'm sure this little boy will go far … but not as far as my Hitmonchan."

"Depends if you heal his legs or not." Silver jokingly said.

The man laughed.

"You're right. My name is Anthony. I want to become the P1 Grand Prix champion with Hitmonchan. And you kids are?"

"Ash. I want to become a Pokémon Master."

"Misty. I'm a Water specialist."

"I'm Brock. I study to become a Pokémon Breeder."

"And I'm Silver. I'm Ash and Misty's mentor, but the leader here is definitely Ash."

"Really?"

"Yeah. All I do is giving him advices. It is _his_ journey. I just make sure nothing bad happens."

Anthony nodded.

"If you say so … Well, I'll be waiting for you at the Grand Prix. I'm counting on ya."

Silver looked at his student.

"What do you think of it?"

"Sounds interesting. What is it?"

"A competition for Fighting Pokémon." A voice said.

The group turned to see a young girl appear from behind a tree. She came to them.

"I am Rebecca. Anthony is my father. His dream is to become the Grand Prix champion but, to do this, he totally abandoned his family." She looked at them. "Please, help me. Beat my father, that he return to his normal state! Something has to be done!"

The group looked at one-another.

"I was planning on entering Tyrogue anyway." Ash answered. "Silver, you could enter with Riyo."

Silver grinned.

"That's a great idea. He needs some training and Tyrogue needs to experience a real Pokémon fight."

So Ash and Silver entered the P1 Grand Prix. Before starting, though, Silver came to Ash.

"Remember, kid. A fight is one move, no matter it lasts a second or an hour, no matter you face one enemy or ten. One move, one breath … one dance."

Ash turned to Tyrogue to make sure he had heard. Capoeira could be used to fight, but it was also a kind of dance. In a dance, one move followed the other on a rhythm defined by one or several instruments. When they were training capoeira, Silver would at times use some music. Fortunately, both Ash and Tyrogue had a sense of the beat. After presenting each challenger, the speaker called for Ash and Tyrogue against a Machop. Ash looked at his friend.

"Do your best."

(Play [Hunter's Chance](https://youtu.be/6_iqiPErEDg), Final Fantasy IX)

Tyrogue raised his thumb and stepped on the ring. He and Machop faced one another. The bell rung, starting the fight. Machop instantly opened fire by launching a Close Combat on his opponent. Tyrogue nimbly dodged and retaliated by slamming a Low Sweep in the Superpower Pokémon's knee. Ash cheered. Low Sweep had the ability to inflict damages and slow the opponent down. Since Ash favored Pokémon that were fast, agile and powerful, it was important that his Pokémon were faster than his opponents. As Silver had him notice: you can't catch, you can't hurt. Tyrogue followed by a Rock Smash in the face and was about to use a new kick attack when Machop grabbed his feet, swung him around several times and smashed him on the ground. Silver winced.

"Seismic Toss. That must've hurt ..."

Ash weakly nodded.

"Tyrogue, rise up!"

The baby Pokémon growled and rose on his feet, his teeth clenched. He looked at the Machop and took a long breath. Anger would lead him nowhere. It would only cause him to make mistakes. He closed his eyes and forced himself to forget his pain. Slowly, a new power crept in him. When his eyes opened, fire was burning inside on him. He ran, cartwheeled to gain momentum, dodged a Karate Chop, jumped, whirled on himself, gathered energy in his foot … The Hi Jump Kick almost broke Machop's neck. The Fighting type fell to the ground, out cold. Ash jumped in happiness.

"Great! You learned another attack!"

Tyrogue grinned back. The second round saw Riyo face one of the favorites of the tournament: a Hitmonlee known as the Wild Kicker, owned by a certain Mister Giant. The fight was short. Despite Riyo's Aura Powers, he couldn't avoid the faster-than-sound kicks his opponent sent him. A particularly vicious Blaze Kick caught Riyo off guards and sent him down for the count, causing Silver to lose. The man took his friend in his arms.

"You did great, Riyo. Don't cry over it."

Riyo smiled and snuggled against the man who raised him since he was born. The matches followed. Tyrogue, Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee progressed thanks to their skills, and Ash couldn't help but smile at his Pokémon's performance. The little mute Pokémon was really doing great. Finally, Anthony's Hitmonchan faced Giant's Hitmonlee. At first, thanks to the man's advices, Hitmonchan was going great and launched many successful attacks. But something happened. Maybe it was a Low Sweep but anyway, the Punching Pokémon's speed was decreased, giving the edge to his opponent. Hitmonlee prepared for a violent Hi Jump Kick and would have scored a hit if Rebecca didn't jump in front of Hitmonchan to protect him.

"Stop! Don't hurt my father's Pokémon!"

Hitmonlee didn't stop. Reacting on instinct, Anthony jumped and took the hit for his daughter. The strike sent him in a corner of the ring. Rebecca was quickly at his side.

"Rebecca ..." He winced. "You're alright?"

"I am fine."

Sighing, the man rose on his feet and took a red towel.

"I'm throwing in the towel!"

Hitmonchan left the ring, only for Rebecca to jump in her father's arms. Anthony looked at her with kindness.

"Rebecca, forgive me. I caused you and your mother a lot of pain. It will never happen again, I promise."

Silver turned to Ash.

"Well, now you and Tyrogue are in the finals. Good luck."

"Don't count on it."

The group turned to see Mr. Giant. Riyo frowned.

"Weird. I feel two persons under this cloak. And both are familiar."

Giant growled.

"We've been dreaming of this day for ages. Now it time to take our revenge against you twerps!"

Misty frowned.

"There's only three persons who call us twerps: Team Rocket!"

Silver nodded.

"So it's them. Ash, Tyrogue, trash them."

"No problems!" Ash grinned.

The fight started. Ash gave his orders.

"Tyrogue, start with Bulk up! This opponent is strong, better make up for it!"

Tyrogue nodded and stretched, making his muscles grow in volumes. Jessie growled.

"Hitmonlee, use Close Combat!"

"Tyrogue, dodge and use Low Sweep!"

Tyrogue had some troubles dodging all the kicks his opponents sent him but he still managed to avoid them and hit his opponent's legs, slowing him down. He followed by a spinning double-kick and sent the edge of his hand in Hitmonlee's eye. Hitmonlee growled and launched a Focus Blast. Tyrogue's eyes widened.

"Tyrogue, _dodge!_ " Ash yelled.

Tyrogue jumped. The blast followed. Growling, the baby Pokémon charged Rock Smash and used it to throw the energy sphere back at his opponent. Hitmonlee was so surprised that he didn't react and took the attack in the face. Jessie was furious.

"React, you idiot! Use Blaze Kick!"

Hitmonlee charged his fist with fire. Ash reacted.

"Tyrogue, Hi Jump Kick!"

The two Pokémon ran at one another. Usually, Hitmonlee would have the advantage, but he was under the effect of Low Sweep and Bulk Up was still working on Tyrogue. The clash caused a major burst in the ring. When the smoke faded, Tyrogue was on his knees, panting. Hitmonlee, however, laid on the ground. The group cheered. They had won! Ash jumped on the ring and took his friend in his arms.

(End music)

"Well done, Tyrogue! You were amazing!"

Tyrogue grinned hugely to his master as he sensed his pride. Anthony came to the boy.

"Your little Pokémon has a lot of talent. I have hardly seen such a good mach in a long time."

"Thank you. Tyrogue and I train hard everyday."

They were given the prize, which was a huge belt with a large golden buckle. Silver looked at it.

"It looks a little too big for Tyrogue ..."

Ash nodded.

"And heavy, too. We better wait before he can wear it."

Anthony nodded.

"Hey, how about you lend me Tyrogue so I could train him? I'll make him the greatest P1 Grand Prix Champion ever."

Ash and his friend looked at one another. The little Pokémon shook his head. Ash looked at Anthony.

"I'm sorry but this isn't what Tyrogue wants. He and I have plans to continue our journey together with our friends. Besides, my friends and I are the only ones who can understand him so he is better with us."

Anthony raised a brow.

"Really?"

"Yeah … he's mute and only speaks using sign language."

"Oh."

This was settled, then. After bidding warm goodbyes to Anthony and Rebecca, the group continued their journey. They didn't know what was waiting for them. Because if they did, they would have taken another way … But they didn't know, and so they followed their journey with a new friend. A special one.


	9. Fight for dominion

So you think that you can't take me on?  
You must be crazy …  
There ain't a single thing you've done  
That's gonna phase me.  
Oh but if you wanna go,  
I just wanna let you know:

Yeah, get off of my back  
And into my game!  
Get out of my way  
And outta my brain!  
Get out of my face  
Or give it your best shot!  
I think it's time you better face the fact:  
Get off of my back!  
[Get off my back](https://youtu.be/pZ9aK5FYU_8), Bryan Adams

The group was peacefully walking down the road leading to Fuchsia City. It was a quiet sunny day like the group had always known. Nothing to omen the smallest disaster. Everyone was in tip-top shape, all were happy, their Pokémon were doing fine … Too bad Absol aren't found in Kanto, otherwise the group would have known this day would soon turn into hell. It began by an earthquake. The shaking gone, Silver looked around.

"Where is the Machamp practicing Seismic Toss?"

"It sounded more like an explosion." Misty remarked.

The group followed the sound to reach a road dug in the mountain. A lot of trunks were crossing it, bringing materials to a construction site a little afar. From the shape of it, it was a dam, and a big one. Silver frowned. An explosion was heard again and rocks fell down. Suddenly, a trunk was reversed by something and it turned into a huge wreck. The group shivered. From one of the trucks emerged a construction worker.

"Damn those Diglett! It's the third time this week!"

The group came to him.

"Are you alright?" Ash asked.

"Does this look alright to you?" The man angrily retorted. "Those Diglett have done it again! Every time I want to bring materials to the construction site, they get in my way and destroy the convoy! Damn it! At this rate, my dam will never be finished!"

Silver frowned.

"Diglett?"

A little brown head suddenly emerged from the ground, soon followed by others. Misty grinned.

"They are cute!"

The worker turned to her.

" **YOU FIND THEM CUTE ?!** These things are monsters! We can't keep working with them around! We tried to create a special division meant to take care of them but they failed. So we have decided to call for the strongest Trainers of Kanto to get rid of them. If they succeed, they will win a free week at the most prestigious hotel of the Great Giva Dam."

The group looked at one another. Why not?

"Alright." Ash smiled. "We're in!"

"Really? You are the first to arrive. We only called you yesterday ..."

"You didn't call us." Silver rectified. "But I can promise you Misty and Ash are strong in their own rights, and I don't talk about my humble self. So, even though you didn't request our help, we're willing to lend a hand."

"Misty and Ash? Strong? Don't be kidding!"

The group froze. Sure as the Reverse World, Gary was here in his sport-red car and his group of cheerleaders. Behind him were several bus. The kid grinned.

"The greatest Trainer of Kanto is here. The others are in the bus."

Silver sighed.

"Of course, when talking about Great Kanto Trainer, Gary has to be part of the crew and never Ash. Those who set the ratings don't know what they're missing."

Gary looked at the man in black with a dark glare. Silver sent it back. The boy then turned to his rival.

"I am the greatest Trainer of Kanto, Gary Oak from Pallet Town. Ash is only the fourth … to have left the town. As a Trainer, he is undoubtedly the last."

Ash growled inside but raised his head to face his rival and stood courageously against the taunts. Silver frowned. Would his student retort or keep quiet? A glaring contest started between the two and both Misty and Brock could feel them fight for dominion. Ash clenched his fists.

"Gary, last time we met, we almost had a match. How 'bout we settle this here and now?"

Gary had an evil smirk.

"I have been waiting for this, Ashie-boy."

Silver turned to the construction worker.

"Do you know a place where these two can battle?"

The man nodded and led them to an open field in the woods. The adventurer nodded.

"This will do. Can someone act as the referee?"

One Trainer nodded. Soon, every Trainer had left the bus to see the two fight. Before the battle started, Ash went a little out of sight and called his Pokémon. Pikachu, Clefairy, Haunter, Charmander, Bulbasaur and Tyrogue all looked at him, sensing his seriousness and hidden nervousness. Ash looked at all of them like he did before Cerulean City.

"Guys, the time has come. I am finally about to battle Gary." His eyes stopped on all of them. "For those two don't know him, Gary is my rival and someone I once called my friend. Now that we have started our journey, all he cares is getting badges and Pokémon. He's always trying to outdo me and boasts endlessly when he succeed … which, I admit, is pretty much all the time." He clenched his fist. "All the times he did, I answered with my own accomplishments: saving Porto Vista, the S.S. Anne incident and so on. Those things count as a man. Now is time to prove him what I'm worth of as a Trainer. Can I count on you guys?"

The Pokémon felt the turmoil their master was trying to hide. Thought he looked calm and determined, inside Ash was a mix of raging emotions that didn't go unnoticed. Anger, pain, determination, a bit of jealousy, which was surprising, and finally unfairness. Pikachu stood before the six and grinned.

"Pika!"

Clefairy jumped by his side.

"Clefairy!"

Haunter strongly nodded.

"Haunter!"

Charmander waved his tail.

"Char!"

Bulbasaur took a fierce battle stance.

"Basaur!"

Finally, the mute Tyrogue threw a fist and nodded in assurance. Ash smiled.

"Thank you, guys. It makes me happy to know I can count on you."

The six Pokémon cheered. Their Trainer believed in them. For all the nice things he did to them, it was time to repay him in kind. They all felt his animosity toward Gary. The empathic link they shared did the rest. They would beat this motherf*cker and reestablish Ash to his rightful place. He, more than his rival, deserved to be called the Best. Ash returned them all as Gary called him.

"Hey, Ashie-boy! What are you doing? Are you too Torchic to fight or you have wet your pants?"

Silver's voice immediately answered.

"Hey, watch your words! I know the two of you hate each other, but please remain polite!"

Ash closed his eyes. His rival didn't know what he was getting. He came out of his hiding place.

"I'm here, Gary. And as you can see, I didn't wet my pants."

His voice was filled with confidence. Silver nodded. He had quickly guessed what his student was doing away. He gave him a wink. Ash nodded and faced his rival.

"When you want."

Gary raised a brow.

"You are very confident for the dead-weight of Pallet Town. Have you forgotten your place?"

"I never had a place to start with. None of us had."

"Says the one who woke up late and had a lame starter."

Ash's eyes narrowed. When he spoke, his voice was icy cold.

"You know what, Gary? I don't really mind when people insult me. But when they insult my friends, it becomes personal. You just insulted one of my greatest friends, now is time to pay the price."

(Play[ Summoned Beast Battle](https://youtu.be/oXiMaCXnbck), from Final Fantasy X)

The referee raised a hand.

"This will be an all-out six vs. six. Switching is allowed. First one with his Pokémon out loses."

Gary's cheerleaders sung in his back, waving their pompoms and dancing on their cheers.

" _Gary, Gary, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can! Gary, Gary, he's our man! He'll beat Ash and save the dam!_ "

Gary grinned.

"Let's see what you can do against this. Doduo!"

The two-headed ostrich appeared. Ash raised a brow and turned to Silver. Unspoken words: ' _Is he kidding?_ ' Silver raised his hands. Unspoken words: ' _Heh, looks like._ ' His eyes narrowed. Ash grinned.

"Is it your weakest?"

Gary was surprised.

"How do you know?"

Ash raised his hands.

"You always take me for a loser so I thought you'd use your weakest Pokémon first. Maybe it's to humiliate me or because you don't take me seriously."

The other Trainers were just as surprised. Ash's deduction was right. The boy took a poké-ball.

"Charmander needs a good fight to develop his attacks. This should do."

Charmander got our of his poké-ball and looked at the Doduo. The two Pokémon faced each other before Charmander turned to Ash and nodded. Ash grinned. To Gary, Pokémon were fighting tools. Not for Ash. To the black-haired boy, Pokémon were partners. They worked together.

"Doduo, let's make it quick! Quick Attack!"

Ash's eyes narrowed.

"Charmander, Flame Burst!"

Charmander opened his mouth and unleashed a heavy burst of fire that created a wall before Doduo. The bird Pokémon still managed to jump above the attack and rammed into the flame salamander. Charmander rolled away but quickly got back on his feet.

"Drill Peck!"

"Fire Punch!"

The two Pokémon ran at each other. Charmander jumped and charged his claws with fire. He hit one head, winced as the sharp beak of the other hit his side and retaliated by bursting the flame of his tail to the offending head.

"Chain with Iron Tail at the legs!"

The Pokémon obeyed. He fell down, turned his tail iron-hard and rammed it in Doduo's legs.

"Finish with Flamethrower!"

Charmander span on himself and incinerated the bird with his signature attack. Ash cheered. Gary was like struck by lightning. When the heck did Ash become so good? The fight was almost one-sided! Ash and Charmander gave each other high-fives.

"Well done, Charmander! You were perfect! Let's return now."

Gary called the fallen Doduo back.

"Alright. I may have misjudged you. A little. As you said, Doduo is my weakest Pokémon. I wonder how you will fare against this one. Nidoqueen!"

Silver frowned and looked at Ash who nodded.

"Bulbasaur!"

Bulbasaur jumped out and looked at the Drill Pokémon.

"Bulbasaur, Energy Ball!"

"Nidoqueen, send it back with Strength!"

Nidoqueen's fist glowed and sent the attack back to Bulbasaur. But the Grass Starter reacted and threw the Energy Ball with Vine Whip. The sphere hit Nidoqueen but it had lost a great part of its power so it didn't hurt the Pokémon much. Ash gave his order.

"Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!"

Bulbasaur's bulb glowed. The attack released wasn't Razor Leaf but an attack one notch stronger: Leaf Storm. The storm of leafs swirled around Nidoqueen and bit hardly in her scales. The Pokémon roared, causing Gary to grit his teeth. He had to do something if he didn't want to lose this round!

"Nidoqueen! Earthquake!"

The Drill Pokémon heard her Trainer and jumped, causing the ground to shake furiously. Bulbasaur had troubles remaining on his paws. Gary then gave his order.

"Nidoqueen, Hyper Beam!"

Ash's eyes widened.

"Bulbasaur, Solar Beam now!"

The two Pokémon charged their attack simultaneously. The collision caused a huge explosion and created a thick cloud of dust over the field. When it faded, Nidoqueen was barely standing. Bulbasaur, however, was down for the count. Ash took him in his arms.

"Bulbasaur, you're alright?"

"Saur ..."

The boy returned his friend. He looked at Nidoqueen and nodded.

"Charmander, time to avenge your friend."

Before Gary could react, Ash had called Charmander out and taken down the Poison type with a powerful Flamethrower. The brown boy hadn't realized what happened that his second Pokémon was already down. Ash returned Charmander.

"Your move." He simply said.

Gary shook himself. Silver had a mocking smile.

"You better get a hold on yourself quickly, Gary-boy. Little Ashling is winning."

"Not for long!"

Gary took a poké-ball and launched it to reveal a Krabby. Ash's eyes widened.

"It's big! Is it a giant one?"

"Looks like." Silver answered.

Ash nodded. He thought a little before taking two poké-balls.

"I wonder which one I'll choose. Tyrogue or Haunter?"

He turned to his mentor, who was discretely drawing H with the tip of his tail. Ash nodded.

"Haunter, I choose you!"

Haunter jumped out of his poké-ball. Gary raised a brow. He thought that his rival would face him with all three Starters, but that thought proved wrong. This said, Haunter were quite a find. He wondered where Ash got his.

"Krabby, let's start with Bubble Beam!"

"Haunter, dodge and use Shadow Ball!"

Haunter dextrously evaded the flow of bubbles all the while charging a sphere of darkness he launched straight at Krabby's face. This move had brought him close to the River Crab Pokémon so Gary ordered.

"Krabby, Metal Claw!"

Ash reacted in the moment.

"Haunter, Shadow Claw!"

Haunter's claw was surrounded with a dark aura while Krabby's claw glowed white. The two attacks collided in a burst of sparks. It became a contest of strength between the two, a contest that was slowly turning in Krabby's favor. Gary grinned.

"Krabby, finish with Crabhammer!"

Ash's eyes sparkled. This was it!

"Haunter, Sucker Punch!"

With his other claw, Haunter nailed Krabby's eye, causing it to back up. Following as he was, Ash gave his order.

"Dark Pulse!"

Haunter focused energy in his hands and shot a beam of darkness that hit Krabby straight in the face, slamming it on a tree. Gary was starting to get pissed. Silver sensed it.

"Better bring the A-team now, kid. Your little friend is getting seriously annoyed."

Ash nodded and took a poké-ball after praising Haunter. Gary wasted no time.

"Kidoking, go!"

"Tyrogue!"

Ash immediately realized his mistake when he saw the two facing each other. Even if he didn't want to believe it, he knew the small Fighting-type had no chance against the heavily armored purple Pokémon. Tyrogue seemed to realize it to for he turned to Ash who shrugged apologetically.

"It won't be much, but let's do our best, okay?"

Tyrogue sensed his master's feelings and nodded.

(I'll try my best to weaken him. Let's hope the others can finish it off.)

Ash nodded and answered through hand signs.

(Don't worry, your defeat will be dearly avenged. Clefairy is next.)

Tyrogue couldn't help but grin. No matter how strong Nidoking was, he would last nothing against the steadfast Clefairy, especially after seeing he had been defeated. After all, he and the girl were sparring partners. He took his battle stance.

"Tyrogue, Bulk up!"

The little Pokémon nodded and stretched to amplify his muscles. Gary shook his head.

"Shrimp. Nidoking, Giga Impact."

Nidoking's body glowed and he launched himself to his opponent. Tyrogue saw it and jumped aside, cartwheeled and span to deliver a Low Sweep. Nidoking answered with a Horn Attack that drew a heavy wound on the younger Pokémon. Ash winced. Alright, Gary was angry. But it would be nothing compared to Clefairy when she would see her friend down to the ground. Tyrogue backed up a little, a hand on his side. He jumped, launched Brick Break with his feet, used the momentum to be propelled in the air and charge Hi Jump Kick. Gary glared at it.

"Nidoking, Iron Tail."

Tyrogue's attack collided with the iron-solid tail. The little Pokémon bounced and his eyes widened when he saw the incoming Ice Punch. This last attack pinned him to a rock. As soon as Nidoking was finished, Ash ran at the mute Pokémon.

"Tyrogue! Damn it!"

He took a Super Potion and sprayed it on his friend. The little Fighting-type gave him a grateful smile, even though the potion wouldn't be enough to fully heal him. Ash shivered when he felt a poké-ball shake. He caressed it softly.

"Calm down, Clefairy. Your turn is coming."

He returned Tyrogue and glared fiercely at his rival. Silver had a knowing smile.

"Here comes the big game. I wonder how much Clefairy will take before calming down."

Ash frowned.

"Gary has three Pokémon left. I'm saving the last one for Pikachu."

Sensing Clefairy's impatience, he quickly released it. Gary raised a brow.

"What? That's all? You really plan on defeating Nidoking with that?"

Brock and Misty couldn't help but face-palm.

"He's screwed."

The crowd was just as surprised. Was the black-haired boy serious? Ash internally smiled. "That's all?" was the last thing to say when it came to Clefairy. All of those who said that got one heck of a royal humiliation. The boy looked at the Fairy Pokémon and nodded. Yep, Gary was in for a surprise. He said one simple thing.

"Clefairy … you know what to do."

Hell yeah, she did. What followed, Gary never saw it coming. The brown boy ordered a Horn Drill, convinced that his opponent was totally kidding and on his last leg. He wanted to finish the fight quickly. Arceus, was it fast … Nidoking charged at Clefairy, only for the girl to jump and charge both Return and Cosmic Mash in her fists. Ash's eyes widened.

"Err … is it me or she's using two attacks _simultaneously?_ "

"I think she is." Silver muttered.

Brock gulped.

"Wow, she must be totally mad."

"Say instead downright crazy." Misty retorted. "She and Tyrogue are best friends."

The dual assault cracked Nidoking's scales and created a fuming crater. But the girl wasn't finished. She chained with Swift and dozen of golden stars assaulted the Poison Pokémon. Gary gasped. He wasn't waiting for this from a cute little Pokémon.

"Nidoking, get back on your feet and use Poison Tail!"

Ash shook his head.

"This is where Clefairy's Magic Guard comes in handy. She will be hurt, but it won't last. Especially if she uses Drain Punch afterward."

Indeed, Clefairy let the strike hit her and turned her fist green. She then struck at the place the scales were the most severely cracked, sucking Nidoking's strength to replenish hers. She then jumped away and channeled light in her hands. Ash's eyes widened.

"No ways … it's Solar Beam!"

The weakened Nidoking could do nothing to avoid the blast of Solar Energy that hit him. Clefairy landed nimbly before her Trainer and cracked her knuckles. Gary was dumbfounded.

"How the heck was I beaten by a Pokémon like that?"

Silver chuckled at the boy's round eyes.

"Clefairy and Pidgeotto are Ash's second strongest Pokémon. The only one who would have a chance against her is Pikachu, who is, I gotta admit, a total war machine. Didn't see that one coming, right kiddo?"

Ash caressed Clefairy.

"Another thing is that Clefairy and Tyrogue are sparring partners and best friends. Beating one means earning the wrath of the other. Beating Tyrogue is easy. Beating Clefairy is less."

Gary growled and took a poké-ball.

"It seems you have kept the best for last. Well, so did I! Here you go, Arcanine!"

The fire dog appeared. Clefairy's eyes narrowed. Silver frowned. This would be a heated fight.

"Arcanine, Fire Spin!"

"Clefairy, dodge!"

The flames were faster and burned the creature while trapping her. But Ash wasn't done so easily.

"Clefairy, use Psychic to dispel the flames!"

It worked. Clefairy's psychic powers disrupted the fire tornado. A psychic burst sent Arcanine flying but the Fire type recovered and jumped on a rock, Fire Fang charged. Clefairy growled and charged yet a new attack, Ice Punch. Ash smirked, much to Silver's surprise.

"Knowing Clefairy's taste for fist fights, I taught her the three elemental fist attacks. They are her pride and joy."

Silver raised his brows, a pleased smile on his face.

"Well, we can easily say Arcanine is done for."

"Yep. It's just a question of time."

Ice Punch collided and negated Fire Fang. Clefairy continued with an Iron Tail in the paws before the two landed. Gary gave his order.

"Arcanine, Fire Blast!"

"Clefairy, Solar Beam!"

The two attacks collided in a strong burst that left the two barely standing. They glared at each other. Next attack would be the last. Arcanine cloaked himself with fire, charging Flame Wheel. Clefairy charged both Drain Punch and Thunder Punch. The two then ran at each other full speed and collided with such strength it caused a shock-wave. When the smoke faded, both were heavily panting and on their knees. Clefairy turned to Ash and grinned, showing her green fist. Her wounds faded and she rose, stronger than ever. Ash's eyes lit up like two torches. At the same time, Arcanine fell. Gary really had it bad.

"No ways … she took both Nidoking _and_ Arcanine!"

"And Pikachu is even stronger." Silver quietly said. "I can let you imagine what it will be. Let's see … I bet your next Pokémon will be Blastoise or one of its pre-evolutions."

Gary became pale.

"How did you guess?"

"Easy. Your grandfather told me it was your Starter. Did you know that Ash originally wanted it?"

Gary looked at Ash, who had returned Clefairy, then at Silver and nodded.

"Alright, prepare to die."

Pikachu jumped before his Trainer while Gary called for Blastoise. Misty and Brock looked at one another. It would be heated … or fast as lightning. Gary started the hostilities.

"Blastoise, Hydro Cannon!"

Silver shook his head.

"Bad idea. Such an attack leaves Blastoise paralyzed … which is the worst thing that can happen against an opponent like Pikachu."

Ash nodded.

"So true. Pikachu, Agility!"

Pikachu ran fast to avoid the two blasts of water that left craters in their wake. Soon, he was a blinding flash that turned yellow when Ash ordered Volt Tackle. Gary panicked and ordered a Bubble Beam Pikachu effortlessly dodged, zigzagging between the bubbles like a golden arrow. Gary growled.

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise hid in his shell and span around, firing water from his cannons. Pikachu avoided the blast with surprising celerity and hit Blastoise's shell, strongly shocking him. Ash cheered.

"Let's finish this! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu charged all the electricity he could and unleashed a large golden beam that almost fried the Water Pokémon. The creature then landed before Ash, his fur bristled. Needless to say Blastoise was KO. Gary really couldn't believe it. The referee raised his hand to Ash.

"Gary has no Pokémon left. Ash is the winner!"

(End music)

Silver raised a brow to Oak's grandson.

"Well, who's the greatest Trainer of Pallet Town now?"

Gary could only admit his defeat. As he returned by his friends' side, Ash looked at his mentor who showed him something on the ground. Ash looked down and his eyes widened. It was a small poem like Silver sometimes made them.

_A golden arrow_   
_Zigzagging between the blasts_   
_Like a fleeting flash_

One didn't need to be a genius to understand it was about Pikachu's Volt Tackle. Pikachu looked at the poem, then at Silver and finally at Ash. There was something going with him, as seen by the way he was looking at the last line with wavering eyes. The Pokémon suddenly turned to Ash, placed a paw on his golden chest and another on the two last words. Ash looked at the words, then at Pikachu. He repeated the action several times and raised a questioning glance. Pikachu nodded. Silver smiled.

"Looks like Pikachu gave you his True Name."

Ash nodded.

"It fits him perfectly."

Pikachu. _Fleeting Flash_. A golden arrow zigzagging between the blasts. In but a few words, Silver had grasped the essence of the little creature. Gary's cheerleaders were crying, but it was nothing compared to the boy's shock of being defeated by the kid he had called a loser for so long. The Trainers looked at the ten-years old boy with both fear and wonder. They were even more surprised when he turned to Silver and said.

"Thank you."

Silver grinned.

"You're a son to me, Ash. And no matter what happens, I will always stand by your side as a mentor and a support."

Ash closed his eyes and tears started to fall. He had dreamed of this day for so long … Acting on impulse, he released his Pokémon and jumped in happiness. His anger had left place to a deep feeling of euphoria.

"We did it, guys!"

The group cheered together, Ash giving high-fives to Misty, Brock and Silver while their Pokémon jumped and laughed out loud. The Trainers around looked at the boy with respect. They all knew about Gary's reputation as a powerful Trainer. This boy he taunted and made fun of had suddenly proved to be way better than his rival, and this in a surprising fight. Silver nodded.

"Looks like Ash is the new Greatest Kanto Trainer. Wait 'til I tell this one to Professor Oak. I can't wait to see his head!"

"We should tell mom too!" Ash grinned. "She will be so happy!"

Silver turned to the boy.

"I have even better: I recorded the whole fight. Let's send it alongside the perfume for her birthday. This will make two amazing presents from your part. Since she loves to praise you so much ..."

A low rumble was heard a little away. The rumble grew louder and louder until small rocks started rolling down the slopes. Explosions could be heard down the valley. Realizing what was happening, Brock yelled.

"Everyone takes cover! This is a rock slide!"

Silver jumped and turned to the construction worker.

"This is your fault! If you had stopped the explosions, their noise combined to that of the fight would have never caused this rock slide!"

He focused his Aura and summoned a large and thick Ice Shield in front of the Trainers. Soon, everyone was carefully protected by a dome of ice. The rocks finally stopped falling and Silver dismissed the shield. Misty whistled.

"Ash always talked about Silver's Aura Powers, but I almost never saw them until now."

"He created an entire dome of ice to protect us." Brock frowned. "Ash wasn't kidding, he is powerful."

"And this is just a fragment of what I can do." Silver grinned.

The man looked around … and spotted something. It was a green bag. Silver frowned and froze when he realized it was Ash's traveling bag. He started to shiver when he realized the boy wasn't around and neither was Gary. A deeper inspection of the area revealed ten poké-balls containing five of Gary's Pokémon and five of Ash's partners. Following the trail of rocks, he reached a deep ravine leading to a river. What remained of a broken tree could be seen on the cliff. The pieces of the puzzle quickly assembled in Silver's head, forming a pattern that made the man clench his fists and look down.

Ash and Gary had been caught in the rock slide alongside Pikachu and one of Gary's Pokémon. They had rolled to the cliff, one had grabbed a tree that was growing on the wall and the weight of the three had caused the tree to break, sending the two boys in the torrent below. There were no ways to tell if they were dead or alive. Silver's jaws tightened. Throwing his head backward, he threw a shout to the sky.

" ** _ASH! GARY!_** "


	10. Lost in the woods

**AN: because of the many interactions between Pokémon in this chapter, the auto-translator is always ON.**

It may be by choice  
Or a small inner voice  
I can't say.  
When you add up the odds  
We all have a cross.  
How do you write off the loss?

Where do I go from here?  
How do I find my way?  
When is it loud and clear?  
That there's no turning back,  
No looking back!  
[The Turning Point](https://youtu.be/ZkBrTr_0T-g), Toto

Ash's first reflex when he heard "Rock slide!" was to return every of his Pokémon. He was about to get by Silver's side when he saw Gary down the ground. Instinctively, he ran at him and took his arm … Next moment, the rocks were on them. Pikachu, who had jumped at Ash's side, was taken in the mad fall of the two boys. Ash didn't really know what was happening. His head was spinning, his body was in pain, yet all he cared was protecting Gary. The other kid may have been his rival, but so was Ash: no matter what he did, deep down inside, Gary was a friend. Even for the simple memories of them, he had to protect the brown boy. They rolled together to the cliff. A rock hit Ash's temple, causing him to yelp and lose consciousness. Gary, who the fall had sickened, regained his senses as they fell in the void. Instinctively, he reached for something. This something happened to be a tree that was growing perpendicularly to the cliff. The boy held it, and only then took time to put his mind together. When he was finished, his blood was cold.

He was hanging on a tree, Ash was unconscious under his arm and Pikachu was on his shoulder, his golden fur bristled and dirtied. A quick glance down made him realize that the cliff was at least three hundred feet high and falling in a raging river. Gary gulped. They were in troubles. And as if it couldn't get worse, he heard the tree crack. It was slow. Too slow. Then, without any warning, the wood gave way, sending all three hangers in the river. The brown Trainer didn't know how in Arceus's name they made it out, but after crossing several small waterfalls and a good dozen of rapids, they finally reached a place where the river was running slower. Gary used his last strength to bring them to the shore and fell asleep, exhausted.

Ash woke up with a splitting headache and pain running through his entire body.

"Ugh … what happened? Where am I?"

He slowly rose to a sitting position and examined his surroundings. He was in a clearing near a river, it was the night and a fire was burning nearby. The bushes shook and Gary appeared, several berries in his hands.

"Awake at last, I see."

He had this arrogant tone that made Ash wince.

"Must you always speak like that? It feels like you're looking down on me again."

Gary sniggered.

"I'd be in my rights. Heh."

He quickly summed his childhood friend what happened and how they ended up here. Ash then noticed his clothes hanging on a branch nearby. Pikachu appeared from another set of bushes with wood for the fire. Upon dressing, the young Trainer couldn't help but feel something was amiss.

"Gary, where's my bag and my poké-balls?"

Gary sighed.

"Lost in the fall. I don't know if they fell in the river or before." He sighed. "This is great. We're lost in the woods, it's night and we only have one Pokémon each. Mine is Arcanine and yours is Pikachu."

"At least they are our best teammates." Ash remarked.

Gary couldn't help but agree. He knew that Arcanine was powerful for having personally trained him from a Growlithe and he had to admit Pikachu himself was a fairly good fighter. Ash frowned.

"Fuchsia City is located south of Saffron City. However, because of the road we had taken, Silver said that, if I got lost, I should go south-west."

Gary raised a brow.

"You could take us out of there?"

"Yeah. Silver insisted that I knew how to survive in the wilds in case I lost myself. He taught me to find my way using the sun and the stars, what berries to eat and what they did and so on. Bet you don't know a thing about this, right?"

Gary looked down. Because he'd been traveling in a car and spent his nights in hotels and Centers, he wasn't used to being in the wilds. Ash chuckled and took a berry Gary had found.

"At times, Silver would wake me in the middle of the night and we would watch the stars. He taught me a lot about it, and not just finding my way. See that huge star in the middle of the sky?" Gary nodded. "It's the Core of the Eye. No matter the time of the year, it never moves. It's located straight in the middle of the sky. Around is the constellation of the All-Seeing Eye. There's a legend associated to it. Wanna hear?"

"Why not? I'm too old for a bedtime story, but I could use some entertainment."

Ash nodded and closed his eyes.

"The tale is about an Ancient called Troban, who was wandering across the world. One day, he met with Uxie, a Legendary Pokémon whose eyes are always closed. Troban asked Uxie if it was blind, but Uxie didn't answer, even though it was awake. Taking this non-answer for a yes, Troban took one of his eyes and offered it to Uxie. At this moment, Uxie opened its lids and Troban saw that it wasn't blind. Uxie explained Troban that it kept its eyes closed because anyone seeing its eyes lost all knowledge in the moment. But Troban didn't lose his knowledge because he was a powerful Ancient who was strong enough to resist Uxie's powers. Touched by the Ancient's act, Uxie took the eye and asked the man known as the Legendary Craftsman to turn it into an artifact. The Craftsman accepted, but only if the Legendaries made a constellation in the sky to honor Troban's gift. Once the stars were in place, the Craftsman took the eye and launched it in the sky where it became the Core of the Eye. The Legendaries were unhappy with the Craftsman's act, but their anger faded away when he gave them a magical item called the Mirror of Truth."

Gary raised a brow.

"The Mirror of Truth?"

Ash nodded.

"According to Silver, the Mirror is one of the most powerful artifacts ever made by the Legendary Craftsman. Because Troban was an Ancient able to manipulate Space and Time at will, he made a mirror that was able to show the past, present and future of any place in the world. Seeing the present was easy: you just had to ask. However, to see the past, one had to close the right eye of the mirror while leaving the left open and do the opposite to see the future. But because the future is ever-changing, the vision won't be very clear."

Gary closed his eyes.

"This isn't really the kind of tale you tell to kids."

"Right. It's more of a legend." Ash sighed. "I've always wondered what Silver did to know so much about the Ancients. Even though he is an adventurer, his knowledge seems so great ..."

Gary silently nodded. The two boys were fast asleep.

Next morning, Gary was awakened by the cold. He looked around, only to realize Ash wasn't here. He turned his head to see Arcanine still asleep but not a trace of Pikachu. Footsteps echoed in the clearing and Ash appeared in his boxers, breathing heavily, his Pokémon at his side. Gary raised a brow. What was his friend doing? He looked like he had run a long time. After catching his breath, Ash started stretching with care for half an hour before chaining with slow dance-like moves. The figures made slowly changed from simple hand and feet movements to cartwheels, somersaults, handstands and swift kicks. Gary was a little bewildered by his friend's behavior. What in the Reverse World was he doing? Finally, Ash jumped from a handstand to his feet and stretched.

"You're awake."

Gary frowned.

"What have you been doing? I don't understand."

"It's my morning routine. Silver and I use to do this every morning while Misty and Brock are asleep. It's not because he's there that I must stop doing it."

He fully undressed and took a dive in the river. The water was cold but he was used to it.

"Why do you do it?"

Ash turned to his friend.

"Because it keeps me in shape. I like it."

Pikachu had jumped in the river and, after a quick cleaning, Ash turned to Arcanine.

"Mind helping us dry?"

Arcanine shrugged and emitted a soft flame that dried the boy and his friend. Ash turned to Gary.

"You should take a bath while I gather berries. The water's cold but it's alright."

Gary shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't bath in rivers. I bath in a shower."

"Do you see any shower around?"

"I don't want to catch a cold."

"Then find something to make a bucket and ask Arcanine to heat up the water."

"I trained Arcanine to fight, not to make chores."

"So what? You're going to skip the bath an reek all day?"

Gary crossed his arms. Ash had a very valid point.

"I hate you."

Since there was nothing around to make a bucket, the brown boy was forced to bathe in the river. Gary growled.

"It's alright, it's alright … Well, I don't find it alright at all! That thing is freaking cold!"

Before he could react, Arcanine had wrapped himself around his Trainer, his body warming him. Ash chuckled.

"You may not have trained Arcanine to make chores, but he looks fairly willing to help."

He disappeared and came back a few minutes later with a large number of berries. Gary looked at them.

"What is that?"

Ash had a huge grin.

"I found a Pecha, Chesto and Cheri tree. I couldn't help myself."

He handed a Chesto berry to Pikachu who jumped on it. Ash explained.

"Silver told me how Pokémon have things called Nature that influence their behavior and abilities. Pikachu's Nature is Mild, at least that's what he said. Because of this, Pikachu likes dry food and has a strong Special Attack but low Defense. There's more to it but, according to Silver, that part is the most important."

Gary was surprised.

"I didn't know about it."

Ash couldn't help but chuckle.

"That's why Silver's here. He's my mentor. From the moment I started my journey, he started teaching me things about Pokémon and a lot of other things. Along with having different properties such as curing Status Ailments and restoring a Pokémon, berries can also be used as regular food and have different flavor which will cause Pokémon to prefer some kinds to others. Because of his Nature, Pikachu totally loves Chesto berries … but if you give him an Aspear berry, be ready for a shock."

Gary frowned. He didn't know if he should arrogantly discard Ash's knowledge or actually accept it. Arcanine gladly swallowed the Cheri berries offered while the two boys chewed on the sweet Pecha berries. After gathering their things, they left the clearing and headed south-west. It was easy. In the morning, they had to keep the sun in the left of their back while, during the afternoon, it was in the right of their back. They walked like this for several days until, by a sunny morning, they found the remains of a plane crash. A single glance at the other was enough for them to come to an agreement.

The plane was small cargo aircraft, model Cessna Caravan, most often used for the transport of small cargo over medium to short range. Near the tail was a symbol Gary recognized as the emblem of the Hoenn region. This greatly surprised the two boys. What would a plane from Hoenn do around? Upon examination, they found open and broken cages, most likely meant to contain Pokémon, as well as mails. There were no corpses but looking around revealed two sets of cleaned bones. Human bones. Ash turned to Gary.

"As soon as I meet him, I tell Silver about this."

Furious buzzing was heard from afar. The boys turned and headed to the sound. It was a swarm of Beedrill teaming against a black and gray canine Pokémon. The creature was small with prominent fangs and was snapping at any incoming dart. Unfortunately, it was getting tired and was growing weaker every passing second. Ash instantly reacted.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu jumped and unleashed his signature attack. The blow was strong enough to fry the bee-like Pokémon. Ash immediately ran to the Pokémon's side. It had fainted but awoke when the boy took it in his arms and whined. Ash frowned.

"It has been poisoned! Quick!"

He took a Pecha berry.

"Pecha berries can cure Poison. Here, eat it."

The creature was unfortunately too weak to chew. Having no other choice, Ash sighed. He took a piece of the berry, chewed it and put the mixture directly in the mouth of the Pokémon. It was gross, he knew, but he had no other option if he wanted to save it. Gary had left and came back after a few moments with a booklet. Ash had finished giving the berry to the Pokémon and turned to his friend.

"What is that?"

"Something I found. It's a record of the plane's cargo. Let's see … there is mainly mail and materials, but there's also a small number of Pokémon."

Ash gave the chapter a look and raised a brow.

"Wurmple, Seedot, Poochyena, Ralts, Bagon, Trapinch and Skitty. These aren't Pokémon from Kanto."

With each name was a picture of the Pokémon and notes about it. Gary frowned.

"According to the book, this Pokémon is a female Poochyena caught in the wilds, around Verdanturf Town. Her Ability is Quick Feet and she has a Naive nature."

"Does the book tell what the Pokémon were meant to become?"

"Nope."

Ash frowned.

"I'm going to keep Poochyena 'til we reach Silver and the others. There's more dangerous than Beedrill out there."

Gary crossed his arms.

"And why should it be _you_ who will keep her?"

"Because I have less Pokémon than you. And besides, I saved her."

Gary wasn't half-convinced.

"But the only Pokémon I have are from Kanto."

"Same for me if I don't count her."

"Wrong. You got that Tyrogue."

They argued for several more minutes until agreeing they would let the girl decide. Since the night was falling, they found a nice clearing and settled here. Gary snuggled against Arcanine while Ash rolled by the roots of a tree and took Pikachu in his arms. The Hoenn creature was wrapped in his jacket and placed near the fire. In the middle of the night, Poochyena awoke and saw the two humans and their Pokémon. She growled. Escaping this plane hadn't been easy and the first thing she did was to run in a Beedrill nest! Then she saw the black-haired boy and a memory flashed in her head. This boy … she vaguely remembered his face as he said she had been poisoned. She frowned. His smell was the same as the jacket. Taking the cloth with her, she placed her head on his flank after putting the blue vest on him.

Ash awoke with the sun, as he always did. However, when he tried to move, he found a weight on his side. Turning his head, he found the little Poochyena asleep on him, some droll rolling from her mouth. He then noticed his jacket was on him. The gray Pokémon must've brought it with her when she came to his side. Rising slowly so not to wake her up, he undressed to be in his boxers and left with Pikachu for his morning run. But Poochyena seemed to be a light sleeper for she awoke as soon as he rose. Ash smiled.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up."

The girl growled softly and nuzzled his hand. Ash chuckled and caressed her head.

"Gotta go before Gary wakes up."

He started to run with Pikachu. Curious, Poochyena followed them. However, she was still recovering from the poisoning and wasn't used to run for this long. Ash sighed when he noticed her. The race was shorter than usual, mainly because he had to carry the girl in his arms while coming back. After that came the usual stretching. Poochyena decided to skip this part and catch her breath, but she didn't miss the exercises. What surprised her was that Pikachu was working alongside her Trainer, at least until Ash started working Taichi and capoeira. She watched the black-haired boy perform his cartwheels and kicks and stop only when the other boy awoke. At this point, he cleaned in a small pond that was nearby and started gathering berries while the other boy washed. She came to Arcanine.

"He does that every morning?"

"Always." The fire dog answered. "And Pikachu always tag along, at least until the stretching exercises are finished. Our own training occurs in the afternoon."

Poochyena crossed her paws as she lied near the fire.

"You've got a Trainer, right?"

"Yep. Gary, the boy with the brown hairs. The other is Ash, Gary's friend and Pikachu's Trainer."

Poochyena frowned.

"I remember his face. He said something about me being poisoned."

Arcanine chuckled.

"He's the one who saved you. He gave you a Pecha berry to cure you from the poison and watched over you. He and Gary had an argument about who would keep you and they agreed to let you decide."

Poochyena looked at the two boys as they came back with berries.

"So far, the arguments speak in Ash's favor. How are they? Those two?"

Arcanine frowned.

"Since Gary is my Trainer, I know him better than Ash. If you want to know more about Ash, go ask Pikachu. Those two are bound at the shoulder, at times literally."

Poochyena nodded and listened at Arcanine.

"Gary comes from Pallet Town. He and Ash are rivals. So far, Gary has more badges and Pokémon than Ash. He has a fondness for strong Pokémon and spends a lot of times training his team members. His favorite method is to make us fight other Trainers. I've got to admit … he can be arrogant at times, but he's a good master, if you prove yourself, that is."

"And Ash?"

"As I said, go ask Pikachu. I don't know much about it, except he and Gary fought to determinate who's the best. I was sent against a Clefairy ..."

Poochyena raised a brow.

"Clefairy are rare. How did it go?"

Arcanine looked down.

"The thing trashed me. Okay, we both put up a good fight, but I lost. Hard. At the same time, I think Gary somehow underestimated her and was caught off guard. Even I was surprised that she could use two attacks at the same time."

Poochyena's eyes widened.

"Two attacks? At the same time?"

Arcanine nodded.

"She used Thunder Punch with one fist and Drain Punch with the other. I think it's why she didn't fall as I did. She sucked my energy while harming me while I only harmed her."

The Hoenn Pokémon glanced at Ash.

"He must be pretty strong ..."

"I know for a fact that Gary lost the fight two to six."

Poochyena shrugged.

"I'm a wild Pokémon. Should I choose a Trainer, I'd rather have one who cares about me."

"As I said, go talk to Pikachu."

Poochyena nodded. She came to Ash and his partner. Pikachu raised an ear.

"I heard you talk with Arcanine."

"We were discussing about your Trainer and his. He told me that they would let me choose who I want as my Trainer and I want to know more before making my choice."

Pikachu laughed.

"I don't know what this big dog told you about his Trainer, but I can promise you mine is way better."

"Really?"

The electric mouse nodded.

"Yeah. Ash is special in so many ways … If I told you all there's to know about him, we wouldn't be done before the night."

Poochyena shifted her ears backward.

"Arcanine told me that Gary has a lot of Pokémon and badges and train his Pokémon hard."

"Forget Gary. Ash may have fewer Pokémon and badges than Gary, but he's still a better Trainer … and friend."

This caught the little Pokémon's attention.

"Friend?"

Pikachu leaned to her ear.

"Ash knows my True Name."

Poochyena jumped.

"No kidding!"

"I'm serious."

The girl was silent for a moment. Finally she spoke.

"For you to give him your True Name … You really trust him that much?"

Pikachu looked away.

"At the start of his journey, we were attacked by a flock of Spearow. They caught up with us despite our best efforts and we would have both died, but Ash did something totally unexpected. He stood before me and told them to come at him. This greatly touched me, so much that I reacted and zapped those bastards cold. We've been best pals ever since." He grinned. "No matter what he does, he will always put us before himself. And I don't know many Trainers who do the same."

This left Poochyena thoughtful. She gladly took the Pecha berries offered and followed the group when they left. They walked for several more days during which the young Pokémon slowly came to a decision. After seeing a training session, she came to Ash and nuzzled his hand before yapping. Ash turned to her.

"What do you want?"

Poochyena yapped again and rubbed his back against his legs. Gary frowned while the black-haired boy grinned.

"You want me as your Trainer?"

The girl nodded. Ash's grin turned into a smile.

"Alright. Then let's get started."

He took a rather thick branch and stuck it in the ground.

"Show me what you can do."

Poochyena grinned. She ran and hit the branch before breaking it in two with an Iron Tail. She then jumped to the flying part and broke it with her jaws. Upon landing, she summoned a dark energy sphere and shot it to the part still in the ground. The sphere went a little off target. Ash nodded.

"Tackle, Iron Tail, Bite and Shadow Ball. Quite an aggressive move set."

Gary sniggered.

"You know you could have spared her this using your Pokédex."

Ash turned to his rival.

"It isn't just about what she can do. It's also about how she does it. Her Shadow Ball almost missed."

Poochyena looked down and glanced at Pikachu. Surprisingly, the mouse didn't seem that worried. Indeed, he gave her a small grin and winked. Ash turned to his partner.

"Now, you're going to spar with Pikachu. Go easy on her, pal."

Pikachu nodded and jumped before the girl. Poochyena raised her ears.

"We're really going to fight?"

"Don't worry. He just want to know what you can do so he can adapt his training ways."

Poochyena nodded and took a fighting stance. Pikachu's cheeks sparked. He launched a weak Thunderbolt to the little Pokémon who nimbly dodged. During the following minutes, Pikachu attacked the canine girl who dodged the assaults with surprising speed. Ash nodded. After that, it was her turn to be on the offensive. Pikachu let himself be hit a few times to test the strength of her attacks but evaded the rest. Ash finally told them to stop.

"You two did great." He sat and thought a little. "Poochyena is fast and aggressive. She is good at dodging attacks and her attacks have power but she lacks accuracy and doesn't have a great defense. In a way, she's like Pikachu. And by her attack set, I think she's a Dark-type, which makes her a good Psychic fighter, just like Haunter." He closed his eyes. "What can I do …? Well, since she's aggressive, why not go this way? Like this, if I meet a Psychic Pokémon who's too strong for Haunter, Poochyena can act as a support or back-up plan."

He finally rose and smiled.

"Alright, my mind is set. First thing, we'll work on your accuracy."

The rest of the session was spent with Poochyena trying to hit different targets with more or less success. Gary didn't miss a bit of his rival's methods. At the end of the day, he came to his friend.

"Who taught you to train your Pokémon like this?"

"Silver. Since his Pokémon have more experience than mine, we would always train together, with them teaching my Pokémon new tricks. It was Meganium who taught Bulbasaur Energy Ball. I've kept this method of the more experienced members teaching the newcomers. It makes things easier for training and besides, it's interesting because each Pokémon is different and they don't learn or use the knowledge they received the same way. And also, Silver and I are the same. Just like his Pokémon teach mine, he himself teaches me to be a better Trainer."

Gary crossed his face and frowned.

"Then you're not a real Trainer."

This made Ash tick off.

"What?"

"I said, you're not a Trainer." Gary replied with a smirk. "Because you're not the one who train your Pokémon."

Ash clenched his fists.

"You're wrong! I train them! But how do you want me to make it right without learning how to do so?"

"Like I do: by training them."

"Gary, before I can train my Pokémon correctly, I must learn how to do it."

"That's exactly what a journey is for."

Ash was almost fuming at this point but he took a long breath.

"You're right. That's what a journey is for. And you know what?"

Gary raised a brow. A smirk appeared on Ash's face.

"It's because Silver was here to help me learn that I beat you during our last fight."

"That's what I meant when I said you weren't a real Trainer. There's someone in your back to help you."

"So what? Is there a rule saying a Trainer must travel by himself? How about your cheerleaders and driver?"

At this point, the two were more or less glaring daggers at each other. Pikachu, Arcanine and Poochyena looked at the argument from afar.

"This had to happen." Pikachu sighed.

Arcanine looked at the two.

"I knew they were rivals, but it seems to go beyond like that."

Poochyena looked at her elders.

"What do we do?"

"We wait." Pikachu answered. "Either one of them will drop it or they will go for a Pokémon battle, which wouldn't be a good idea."

"Yeah." Arcanine nodded. "There's no Center around and berries can't cure everything."

They were interrupted by a growl. Immediately, the group went on the defensive.

"What was that?" Ash asked.

Gary frowned.

"Sounds like Mankey to me..."

Ash gulped. Mankey weren't known to be quiet Pokémon. In fact, they had one hell of a short temper and had the reputation to enter frenzy for no reason whatsoever. And since they lived in colonies, angering one meant angering the whole group. So, long thing short, Ash and his friends were in troubles. Big troubles. Sure enough, a group of at least twenty Mankey showed up, furious.

(Play [Tension Rising](https://youtu.be/tRvAu4oWG4k), Kingdom Hearts II)

"Everyone attacks!" Gary ordered.

Pikachu and Arcanine jumped into action. The flame dog breathed heavy blasts of fire while Pikachu was true to his name of Fleeting Flash. Poochyena wasn't as experienced as the other two but she was still doing her best, snapping her jaws at any tail or other limb in her way. She even launched a few Shadow Ball that, even given her low accuracy, still hit target due to the Mankey number. That's the good, or bad, thing about group fight: you're always sure to hit someone. However, at three against twenty, the Pokémon were quickly outnumbered. Poochyena's Iron Tail had just countered a Focus Blast when a Mankey jumped at her, Karate Chop ready. The blow would have homed if a furious kick didn't catch the Pokémon off guards. Poochyena turned to her savior … and was surprised to see no other than her Trainer. She then remembered his morning routines. The moves he used were the exact sames as the ones he practiced!

Seeing his friends in troubles, Ash had decided to react. Silver didn't teach him to fight for nothing, after all. So far, he didn't have to put his skills to use. Now was as good a time as any. Combining Taichi Chuan for defense and capoeira for offense, he outmaneuvered the Fighting Pokémon so their attacks hit each other and finished them with a good kick or an elbow in the snout. Gary's eyes widened. Even after seeing him train every morning, he didn't think Ash could fight like that! The boy ducked while launching a mowing kick, leaned on his foot and hand to deliver another kick at eye level, dodged a claw, grabbed a Mankey hand he aimed to another Pokémon, crouched to the ground and rose with both fists tightly clenched to collide with a pair of snouts. Then something happened.

It didn't come suddenly but was more progressive. With every passing second, it became easier for him to predict his opponent's moves. It first came as a gut feeling before evolving into a full foresight power. The moves became slower to Ash's eyes until it was something opposite to an afterimage. He would see the attack come and react in accordance, but while he was seeing things in slow-motion, in reality, time hadn't changed at all. It roughly translated as the young Trainer developing super-fast reflexes and striking at the speed of sound. Even Pikachu and Arcanine were stunned by the event. Ash would have pushed the Mankey back all by himself if he wasn't caught by a violent giddiness. He staggered, held his head and fell on his knees. The Mankey jumped on the opportunity and teamed against him, delivering countless hits and scratches. Rendered powerless by the dizziness, Ash could only curl on himself and wait for the pain to stop or his consciousness to fade.

Pikachu's fur bristled when he saw his friend under the assault. No more refraining himself, he used a powerful Thunder to zap the creatures away.

"You damn Arceus-forsaken bastards! Don't you dare hurt my friend!"

He unleashed another Thunder attack before rushing at them with Volt Tackle. Poochyena's eyes widened.

"This attack is powerful! I wanna do the same!"

Pikachu chained Volt Tackle with Iron Tail, causing the Mankey to back up. Poochyena's Shadow Ball and Arcanine's Fire Blast made things even worse. The Pokémon ran away … well, those who survived. Gary ran at Ash's side.

(End music)

"God dammit! Ash!"

He quickly removed his friend's jacket and shirt. Ash's body was bruised and bleeding from the cuts and blows he had taken. Worse, his breath was slowing down. Gary growled.

"Don't you dare die on me! We still have things to do together!"

He noticed the yellow gemstone on his friend's neck and a memory came back. This pendant was a charm, a magical charm that either protected or healed its bearer should blood be spilled on a face. Gary closed his eyes, calling the memory back. It was during the Squirtle Squad Incident. Ash had been wounded while trying to protect the Squirtle leader and Silver had put blood on a face of the pendant to heal his wounds. But … which face was it? He called Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Do you remember which symbol is the healing one of Ash's charm?"

The little mouse came to Gary's side and shifted the gem to show the sun. Gary nodded. He would remember. Taking some of Ash's blood, he placed it on the sun. The effect was instant. A bright light engulfed the boy, focusing on the most heavy wounds before taking care of the lesser ones. The light remained for a moment on the side of the head, causing Gary to frown. Why did the pendant's magic focus on this place? Then he remembered the dizziness. Since his grandfather was a professor, the boy knew a bit of biology. He knew that one could become dizzy if they had a head trauma. Maybe Ash bumped his head during their fall. Ash's eyes fluttered open.

"Gary? Guys? What happened?"

Gary said nothing. He just looked at his friend, relief in his eyes. A lot of conflicting emotions could be seen in them. Suddenly, he lunged at his friend and hugged him tight.

"Don't you ever do such crazy stuff again. I was really, really worried.

Ash said nothing and hugged Gary back. Pikachu snuggled against his Trainer before being joined by Poochyena and Arcanine. The five remained like this for a moment before rising. Ash dressed back and turned to his friend.

"Well, what happened?"

Gary shrugged.

"No ideas. You suddenly went all Hitmon-like and started kicking and hitting those Mankey as if they were slow like a Slowpoke, but then you had a dizziness and fell on your knees. The Mankey didn't miss it. Pikachu and Arcanine pushed them back but you were in bad shape so I had to use your pendant to save you."

Ash nodded.

"Strange, I don't remember a thing."

The subject was dropped and the group continued their trip through the forest. They reached civilization two days later, much to Gary's relief.

"At last!"

They ran to the Center of the village, only to be met with a familiar sight. Not only were Silver, Misty and Brock here, but Gary's little group was along with them! They were sitting at the table of a bar, with Silver having a quiet smile on his face.

"Took you long enough." He grinned.

Ash said nothing. Instead, he ran straight at his mentor and hugged him tight. Silver hugged him back and rubbed his head while Ash burrowed his face in the man's muscular torso.

"I missed you."

Silver only nodded. A little away, Gary's cheerleaders were doing their own little cheering.

" _Gary, Gary's our hero! He survived the forest, wow!_ "

Silver looked at his son by heart.

"Nurse Joy will take care of your Pokémon. Is there anything you want?"

Ash looked at his stomach.

"Well … I could use a real meal."

Silver smiled.

"Fetch Gary and go take a shower. It will be ready when you're back."

Ash nodded and called his friend while Silver turned to the waiter.

"Sir, a king-sized medium-rare steak with a good curry and Mareep ribs with a big salad. Barbecue sauce, for the ribs."

"Incoming."

When the two kids went back, clean and fresh, they were awed by the sight on the table. Not thinking twice, they ran on their dish and started wolfing the dinner. Misty couldn't help but chuckle.

"They act as if they ate nothing for the whole trip."

"Not really." Ash answered with his mouth full. "But eating only berries everyday was starting to get boring."

Brock nodded.

"It's right that berries have nutritive and restoring properties, but they don't replace a good lunch."

"So true." Gary replied.

Half an hour later, the two were filled and happy. Silver leaned against his chair.

"Well, how about you tell us the whole story?"

The boys told the adventurer everything that happened, not forgetting a single detail. Gary showed Silver the book he had found in the Hoenn plane. This greatly interested the man.

"I'll warn the authorities that they make some investigations. Usually, I would have gone myself but the place is at several days of flight or walk from here. Well, that was fairly interesting, really. The two of you did a good job, surviving in this forest."

Ash grinned. Silver turned to him.

"By the way, did you think about what you're going to do with … Oh?"

Butterfree and his mate arrived. Ash smiled.

"Bubble, Rainbow! It's nice to see you guys!"

Rainbow flew around his ex-Trainer in greeting. Misty looked at the two.

"Did you find a place where you'll settle?"

The couple looked at one another and shook their head. Ash grinned.

"Hey, why not go to Professor Oak's corral? It's kinda a natural preserve and lots of Pokémon live here. I'm sure you'll find a good place to settle."

Rainbow looked at Bubble who frowned.

"How about it?"

The male nodded.

"I've been here for some time. I agree with Ash. There are some good spots to settle in."

"Then that's set."

Rainbow turned to Lya and spoke. The Ninetales translated.

"It seems Butterfree wants to be part of the crew again."

"Really?"

The Butterfree explained.

"Since we're going to live at the lab and I like being with you, I don't see why we couldn't become Trainer and Pokémon again. After all, you trained me before, right?"

Ash cheered.

"Yes! Alright, welcome back."

He was about to take a poké-ball but Silver stopped him.

"Ash, wait. Before gaining one, no, two team members, you must first think about your current team."

Ash looked down.

"Oops, I had forgotten." He looked at his mentor. "Do you have any advices for the shifts?"

Silver grinned.

"I knew you'd ask. Let's see ..." He took ten pebbles. "First, there's Pikachu who always remain with you." He placed a pebble apart. "Then, we have nine Pokémon that can fit in three categories. The first is the Starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. Right now, you have Charmander and Bulbasaur." He took three pebbles and put them on the table. "After this, there are three Pokémon whose strength is absolutely insane. Do you know which ones?"

The answer came instantly to Ash.

"Yes. Pidgeotto, Clefairy and Butterfree."

"Exact. Those three, we'll call them the Powerhouses. Right now, the powerhouse you have is Clefairy. Finally, there's a trio of new Pokémon you got recently: Haunter, Tyrogue and this little Poochyena girl. Those three will be called the Newbies. Don't worry, I don't say it as an insult. So, your two actual newbies are Haunter and Tyrogue."

Silver made the three piles of pebbles and gathered them around the last pebble, that of Pikachu. He looked at his student.

"Right now, your team is made of Pikachu, one Powerhouse, two Starters and two Newbies. Say, you talked about making shifts before this mess happened."

"I've thought about it, seriously. Bulbasaur and Tyrogue need to rest from their fight with Gary's Pokémon and I want to train with Pidgeotto."

"So, to keep your team composition, you're going to switch Tyrogue with Poochyena, Bulbasaur with Squirtle and Pidgeotto with Clefairy."

"Yes. This way, the three of them will be able to recover and Butterfree will have time to settle with his mate."

"Alright, let's do this."

As they were making the transfer, Ash turned to his friends.

"Well, how did the Diglett Crisis end?"

Brock smiled.

"It happened that the Diglett and Dugtrio were in charge of keepingthe forest safe. All the troubles they caused was to protect the forest, whom the dam would have destroyed. We found this out thanks to Lya and the workers decided to drop the project."

Ash nodded. Professor Oak appeared.

"Ash, Gary! You're fine."

"Barely." Silver muttered. "According to your grandson, they had some troubles with a group of Mankey. Things would have really turned bad without Ash's pendant."

Oak breathed in relief.

"Delia was worried sick about Ash. But I see he's just fine and even caught a new Pokémon?"

"Yep and got an old one back. You're going to have a family of special Butterfree at the corral, Professor."

The old man nodded.

"I can't wait. I heard that Gary and Ash finally got their battle ..."

"Yes, and it didn't end well for your grandson."

The Professor was silent for a moment.

"Do you mean… Gary lost?"

"Yes, and badly. Two of the Pokémon you're going to receive are casualties from the fight. And don't forget Tyrogue's problem."

Silver frowned when Oak didn't say a word for five minutes.

"Professor… is everything okay? You're having me worried."

The elder man finally spoke.

"You… you're serious about it?"

Silver's answer was to send him the video of the fight.

"Personally speaking, it doesn't surprise me much. In fact, I was waiting for this to happen. These two had to meet and they had to fight. Why? Because of what they are."

Professor Oak raised a brow.

"What do you mean?"

Silver had a smirk.

"Surely, you should have noticed how Gary and Ash are polar opposites. They stand for values that are radically different and have ways that are radically not the same. To Gary, only the goal matters, not the means. He is fast, both at catching badges and Pokémon. He will go to any length to reach his objectives and crush anything in his way. I bet you have noticed this side of him. Gary is arrogant and proud, and I'm not going to deny he has power. Now look at Ash. Gary may be a lot of things, but there's a lot of things he is not. What Gary isn't, Ash is, in a good way."

Oak frowned.

"I think I see what you mean ..."

Silver nodded.

"After I'm finished, it won't be a simple thought. Anyway, back to the subject. Let's look at Ash. To him, the goal is important, but the path taken is just as much. Gary doesn't care for what's between his goal and him. Ash does, hence the reason he is always here playing good Samaritan when the opportunity appears. When looking at his methods, they must seem slower than Gary's but, on the long term, they give better results. Gary doesn't take time to bond with Pokémon and focus on the individual strength of each. He takes the bests and makes them even better. Ash takes any Pokémon he befriends and takes the time to train him, hence the reason he is slower than his rival. But who won the match in the end?" Silver's eyes narrowed. "Do you see now how those two are different? They had to face each other not because they are rivals, but because of what they stand for. This fight wasn't simply a battle between Trainers, it was a battle between beliefs. And Ash won."

The professor frowned. What Silver said was the perfect truth. He could see it now. In fact, he knew it long ago. It's just that he didn't realize it. The old man remembered when Ash had taken the mute Tyrogue under his wing. While Gary would have discarded a Pokémon with such flaw, Ash saved him and trained him. He noticed Silver was writing something and had a half-smile, waiting for the man to gift him with yet another of his small poems. He wasn't deceived.

_Two worlds_   
_Different as night and day_   
_Opposite or complementary?_

Oak smirked and sighed.

"So far, it seems they are opposite. But who knows? Ash and Gary are young. They can change."

Silver nodded.

"Yep. As far as I know, nothing's etched in stone."

Yet his thoughts were different.

' _Sure, when it comes to their relationship, the future remains blurry. But the thing is, Ash's fate is already written in the Hall of Origins. Golden Heart, Silver Soul. Ash doesn't know, but he is destined to become a hero. Gary … I don't know. I only know about Ash's fate because he is the Chosen One. One of them, at least. The other, I have no ideas where he can be._ '

He closed his eyes and spoke.

_Golden Heart, Silver Soul_   
_Sea and sky, night and day_   
_Ho-Oh and Lugia both showing the way_

_Duo of Chosen, ignorant children_   
_Golden flute for the one_   
_Who can control the hearts_   
_Silver flute for the other_   
_Who the mind is the master_

_Chosen Duo, champion of the Council_   
_One has a heart of purest gold_   
_The other's soul is a silver mirror_   
_Empathy, clarity_   
_Counterparts in harmony_   
_Together you are complete._

Oak raised a brow.

"What was it?"

"Just something that came into my mind from nowhere. I should work on it. Here's material for, if not a song, at least a poem."

Oak nodded. Silver's little sonnets weren't his only works. The man was also a good singer … and piano player. Ash suddenly barged into the room and came to his mentor, panicked.

"Silver! Mom's birthday … I forgot about it ..."

"Don't worry." The man smiled. "I took care of it."

Ash breathed in relief.

"Thank you. How did it go?"

"I had found your affairs and Pokémon on the slopes. When your mom's birthday came, I gave the perfume to Charmander and sent him to Pallet Town via the transfer system. From then, Oak gave Delia the poké-ball and, when she opened it, Chamander gave her your present."

Oak grinned.

"Delia was very happy with it. She said it was extremely nice of you. Also, she was proud that you had the kindness to take Tyrogue under your wing."

Silver's face suddenly lit up.

"I got it!"

"What?"

The man smiled.

"There's a word I was looking for that clearly defined the difference between Gary and Ash. It kept on escaping me but I finally found it."

"And … what is it?" Oak asked.

Silver looked at his student with kindness.

"Compassion. That's the word I was looking for."

The professor frowned.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean."

"And yet, that's fairly easy." Lya grinned. "Ash and Gary are different because Ash has something your grandson doesn't have, old man. And that thing is compassion, the ability to perceive the pain of another and feel compelled to remedy it. It is actually a virtue strengthened by Ash's natural empathy toward others."

Oak's eyes widened and he frowned.

"Compassion … I never thought about it." He looked at Silver. "You're sure you don't want to become a Pokémon professor? With your knowledge of Legendary Pokémon and Pokémon in general..."

"I already got a similar offer I declined. I'm not an indoor type, prof. I need to journey and see new sights. Got that straight in my blood."

"And … what will your next stop be?"

"Fuschia City. Ash has a new badge to win and a new team member to train."


	11. Challenges of all kinds

Sometimes it's hard to know,  
Which way you're supposed to go.  
But deep inside, you know you're strong.  
If you follow your heart, you can't be wrong.

Sometimes it's hard to see,  
Just what's your destiny.  
But when you find the path that's true,  
You'll know that's the one for you.

Stand up!  
(Stand up!)  
For what is right.  
Be brave!  
(Be brave!)  
Get ready to fight!  
Hold on!  
(Hold on!)  
We're friends for life.  
And if we come, together as one,  
Complete the quest, that we've begun,  
We will win the battle!  
Pokémon!  
[Battle Cry (Stand up)](https://youtu.be/gRLZQhZrj5c), Galactic Battle opening theme

As promised by Silver, the group headed to Fuchsia City. Since night was falling, they headed for an Asian-looking house to get some shelter. Even though he didn't mind sleeping outside, Ash certainly wasn't against some indoor rest when he could get one. So they headed to the house.

"Hello. Is anyone here?" Ash asked as they entered.

They got no answer. Silver closed his eyes.

"There are people deeper inside … and Pokémon. The walls make it hard for my Aura Senses."

"Let's look for them." Misty offered.

She leaned on a wall … which suddenly shifted and made her fall before closing. This went unnoticed to Ash and Brock, but not Silver. He looked at the wall.

"A secret passage. Looks like a night in this place won't be for free."

He pushed the wall and they found Misty waiting for them.

"You're alright?"

"Yeah ..."

A Venonat hoped before them. Ash frowned.

"What's a Venonat doing here?"

"Must belong to one of the inhabitants. Mind leading us to your Trainer, little one?"

The little venomous bug hoped away, quickly followed by the group. As they walked through a corridor, something shocked Ash. Silver turned and froze.

"Voltorb! What are they doing here?"

"Let's avoid them." Brock suggested.

The poké-ball-looking creatures were hidden in a hole of the floor. The group jumped above it and kept on following Venonat. Silver had taken the lead to protect the three kids from any harm that may come from before. This is why he was the one to bump in an invisible wall. He growled.

"Who the heck set that thing here?"

They tried to turn back, only to be blocked by a second wall. Ash's eyes widened.

"We're trapped!"

"Not for long!"

Silver closed his eyes and cold Aura appeared in his hand. He shaped it from a whirling sphere to a spinning cone and launched the Aura scud to the wall, effectively breaking it. He was answered by a volley of ninja stars that were all stuck on the Ice Shield the man created. Misty sighed.

"Having an Aura Guardian with us sure is useful."

A girl fell from the ceiling, visibly in a bad mood. She was wearing revealing red clothes, causing Brock to have a nosebleed. Misty sighed while Ash growled.

"Don't you know it's impolite to attack people like that? What has gotten into you?"

Pikachu jumped at his side, his cheek sparking. The woman frowned.

"I am Aya the ninja. And you intruders are going out unless you, kid, defeat me in a duel."

"If that's the price for a night here, let's do it."

The woman took them in an arena in the building. Brock acted as the referee.

(Play [Enemy Attack](https://youtu.be/HQfDsVhS9BA), from Final Fantasy X)

"This will be a one vs. one between Ash and Aya. Begin!"

Aya raised a hand.

"Here you go, Venonat!"

The purple insect jumped before his mistress. Ash grinned.

"Alright. Let's do it, Poochyena! Time for your first battle!"

The little girl jumped from her poké-ball and bared her teeth. The two Pokémon faced each other before their Trainers started the hostilities.

"Venonat, Stun Spore!"

"Poochyena, dodge!"

The purple bug launched a cloud of paralyzing spores but Poochyena nimbly evaded it using her speed.

"Use Tackle!"

The girl ran straight to her opponent. Having to dodge Pikachu's lightning bolts had greatly boosted her speed, which was already great due to her having a Naive nature. She hit the Poison-type head on and chained with a strong Iron Tail. Venonat staggered before retaliating with Psybeam. Poochyena jumped once more, a Shadow Ball charging. Silver watched the fight.

"Poochyena's level is good, but as a newcomer, she's still quite behind Ash's other Pokémon when it comes to experience and power. Ash was wise to use her for an unofficial battle like this one."

"And let's not forget she has problems with her aim." Misty reminded.

Indeed, while all others of Ash's Pokémon would have finished this battle in no time, Poochyena was struggling. Venonat was fast too and since she couldn't get him with Shadow Ball, she was forced to use more close-ranged attacks. Aya had noticed it and was doing her best to keep her distance. One of her Shadow Ball finally homed, much to everyone's surprise. The girl then rushed at Venonat full speed and used a strong Bite that rendered the bugger KO. Ash sighed.

"Tight fight. Well done, Poochyena."

(End music)

The girl returned to her Trainer and whined, her head down. She knew very well she was seriously lacking in power compared to her other team mates. Ash knelt to her level and rubbed her head.

"Don't worry. You're weak because you just recently joined us. But overtime and with a good training, you'll become a powerhouse as dangerous as Clefairy."

Poochyena yelped and licked the boy's face. No matter what was happening, Ash always had kind words to give to his friends. It was something the naive and insecure little girl greatly appreciated. A Voltorb suddenly rolled in the middle of the room and exploded in a cloud of smoke. Silver instantly jumped before the group, ready to attack. From the smoke appeared a man clad in traditional ninja outfit.

"You still have much to learn, Aya."

Aya knelt to the man.

"Forgive me, Brother. I failed."

Ash smiled.

"Don't worry. I'm grateful we had this fight."

Aya was surprised. Ash explained.

"Poochyena joined me very recently. I didn't get to train her much in battle, so that's why it was nice we had this fight. This way, I know what she can do in a real battle. And even though she doesn't have the level of most of my Pokémon, this battle told me she can become a great fighter."

Poochyena couldn't help but blush at the compliment. Ash said she could become great one day. Young and eager as she was, she would do her best to fulfill her Trainer's expectations … not knowing most of Ash's Pokémon thought the exact same toward him. The elder ninja raised a brow.

"Unusual words … from an unusual Trainer. I challenge you, here and now. You can only leave if one of you defeat me in a battle."

"Who are you?" Ash asked.

The man had a half-smile.

"My name is Koga. I am the Gym Leader of Fuchsia City."

Silver grinned.

"Time to add a new badge to your collection, kiddo."

Ash nodded.

"Poochyena, stay on the sides and watch, okay?"

The canine Pokémon nodded. Koga's eyes stopped on Silver and narrowed.

"Silver Nor Shadow … one of the most famous adventurers of this world. I heard about you."

"So did I, Koga-san. You are known as the Poisonous Ninja Master of Fuchsia City, expert of Poison Pokémon and one of the greatest shinobis of this world. I heard rumors that you were offered a place among the Elite Four ..."

"While I heard that you once single-handedly disbanded an evil syndicate, Team Dark Moon, only to save a child. Is it part of your duty as an adventurer?"

"I retired over five years ago. But yes, I did indeed disband this syndicate. Those bastards had kidnapped a young boy and killed his mother doing so. That's something I could hardly let go of so I showed them what happens when you mess with the wrong guys. In exchange, I gained a good friend since the kid's father swore an eternal debt toward me."

Koga's eyes narrowed.

"We both say disbanded … but we know it isn't exactly true. The rightest term would be more 'eliminated'."

Silver froze and glanced at the three kids, who were surprised by Koga's words. He turned to the man.

"Let's drop the subject. I do admit some of my actions were borderland illegal but there's a thing about me. Anything I do, it's always for a good cause, no matter how illegal or whatever else it seems."

"The facts are still here: you killed these men. Everyone of them."

Silver's voice went cold.

"What are you trying to achieve, Koga? Provoking me or discrediting me to the eyes of those three? There's a reason I try to avoid some parts of my past. I'll be honest, there are things I've done I'm not proud of at all. But I didn't have a choice. At times, one must kill ten to save thousands. I killed the members of Team Dark Moon, so what? They were criminals who had kidnapped a child and killed his mother. They deserved to die and, as far as I know, the world is better without them."

Ash and his friends froze. Silver just openly admitted that he had murdered people and did other criminal actions. The boy looked at his mentor who answered with sad eyes. He made a few gestures.

(I'm sorry, kid. You weren't mean to learn about this.)

He turned to Koga.

"You and Ash will battle for the Soul badge. After that, you and I will have a battle … and it won't be a Pokémon one."

Koga nodded. Aya served as the referee for the match.

(Play [Tension Rising](https://youtu.be/tRvAu4oWG4k), Kingdom Hearts II)

"This will be a two vs. two. No switching. Begin!"

Ash frowned. His emotions were conflicted and his Pokémon felt it. On one side, he cared greatly for Silver who was his father by heart. On another side, he was shocked that the man he saw as his mentor had a criminal record. Koga used Venonat and the boy went for Pidgeotto. The bird Pokémon immediately felt his Trainer's turmoil and looked at him.

"Pi … Pidgeotto-got?" (Hey … Are you alright?)

Ash nodded.

"Yeah, I'm alright … I think."

The bird knew it was a lie. His Trainer didn't have this voice when he was alright, especially during a fight. He sighed. Looks like he'd have to do without him if he wanted to win. Yep, even though Ash's Pokémon were loyal to a fault, they had also developed a certain independence toward him. Not everyone is infallible, especially a kid like their Trainer. So, when they had to, the creatures could very well act on their own. Like when their Trainer was confused …

The fight started with Venonat evolving into Venomoth and unleashing Stun Spore. Pidgeotto growled. Before Ash could give an order, he used Whirlwind to push the attack back. To his surprise, he barely made it. Misty was surprised.

"What is Pidgeotto doing? Ash didn't give an order that he already reacted!"

"That's something I noticed with Ash's Pokémon." Silver explained. "When needed, they can fight without having their Trainer to order them around. Problem is, there's something neither Trainer nor Pokémon noticed."

Venomoth has tried a Sleep Powder attack that had been countered by Air Slash. Such an attack would have caused damages to the bug Pokémon. It barely scratched his wings. Pidgeotto chirped in anger. What the hell was happening? He knew he wasn't that weak! He dodged a Poison Fang attack and retaliated with Steel Wings. Silver called Ash.

"Wake up, kid! Pidgeotto is strong, but he can't win this fight alone! Snap out!"

Ash shivered, as if waking from a long sleep. He saw Pidgeotto fighting and instantly pulled himself back together. Silver sighed.

"Lost in thoughts, were you? Come on, you have a badge to win."

"Yeah ..."

His eyes narrowed.

"Pidgeotto, Aerial Ace!"

Pidgeotto felt relieved to hear his Trainer's voice. About damn time! He flew away, became engulfed in light and dived to Venomoth at the speed of sound. Even Stun Spore couldn't get him, being deviated by the air passage the attack was causing around Pidgeotto. The hit was enough to send Venomoth crashing to the ground. Koga raised a brow. Ash recalled his friend.

"Return, Pidgeotto. And sorry I let you fight on your own."

He looked at Koga.

"Why did you force Silver to talk about his past when he clearly didn't want to? Was it for me to get confused or was it to provoke him? Because if that was to drive me confused, it almost worked. Almost." His eyes narrowed. "Silver is like a father to me. You hurt him, and me through him. He and I will talk about it once the fight is over, don't worry. But right now, you're the one I'm facing, and it's to get a badge!"

Silver sighed but Brock frowned.

"Ash is in a bad mood."

"It's going to hurt." Misty shivered.

Ash took a poké-ball.

"Go, Charmander!"

Charmander jumped out and looked at the man, teeth bared. Koga called for Crobat.

"Crobat, Wing Attack."

"Charmander, Flamethrower!"

The Flamethrower was strong enough to badly scorch Crobat. Koga frowned.

"Crobat, Supersonic!"

"Charmander, block your ears!"

The orange Pokémon nodded and blocked his ears and his eyes. When he opened them, Crobat was diving to him, another Wing Attack ready. The little salamander jumped in-extremist and homed an Iron Tail while he was at it. Ash gave his final order.

"Fire Spin!"

The attack was enough to finish Crobat who fell on the ground. Koga nodded.

(End music)

"A nice fight. Here."

He gave him a pink heart-shaped jewel Ash placed in his badge case. Usually, he would have been happy to win it. Not this time. Silver stepped before the boy.

"Now is time for our fight."

Koga nodded.

"You have a great reputation, Silver Nor Shadow. And I don't simply talk about your adventurer record. You are a jack-of-all-trades … which includes activities that are straight against the law. You are well known among us ninja for your assassination methods which are fairly similar to ours. They also say you're an excellent thief."

Silver's eyes turned cold.

"Koga, Ash is already mad at me because of this little criminality affair. Why don't we get straight to the fight?"

Misty gulped.

"Silver is an assassin?"

"No." Silver turned to her. "I did kill a few guys during my many adventures. But it was never for no reasons."

He stepped to Koga and drew his silver blades.

"There are several things you must know about me. One, I am a retired adventurer. I quit after taking little Ashling under my care. Second, I admit I did commit thievery and murder. But, and this is the third point, it was never for evil causes. I am an Aura Guardian, but I am also what people call a Shadow, Darkness born from the Light. Two things make Shadows different from Ninja and Shinobi. The first is that Shadows are all Aura Guardians. If someone wants to be a Shadow and doesn't have Aura, he will only be a ninja. The second thing is that, while ninja work for good and evil alike, Shadows are always good. This is what I mean by Darkness born from the Light. We Shadows do evil things for the sake of others. We steal dangerous items that can destroy whole cities and control people's minds and murder those who plan on using it or commit crimes. So yes, seen like that, I'm a criminal. A good one. Happy?"

Ash looked at his mentor and his expression slowly changed from anger to something that could barely be defined. He was conflicted anew. Misty and Brock looked at one another. So this was Silver's dark side. A man doing evil things for the sake of others. Koga took a handful of ninja stars.

(Play [Struggle in the Library](https://youtu.be/ge8eAnEAWt0), POP Warrior Within)

"I see. So that's what you are. A Shadow."

"Yes. I am known by several names but the two I like the most are the Ice Shadow … and the Silver-Bladed Shadow. How 'bout you get a taste of them?"

He rushed at the ninja who jumped and threw his shurikens. Silver effortlessly parried them. When they fell to the ground, they were all cut in two. Silver launched a fencing strike to Koga who deviated it with a kunai. He aimed a kick at the arm but Silver span on himself so he was back to back with his enemy. Dropping a sword, he grabbed Koga's wrist and span so his fist collided with the man's nose.

"That's for bringing my past out." He coldly said.

He jumped away as a kunai bit the leather of his armor. Ice appeared in his hands he shaped into frost discs. Koga's fast reflexes and kunais were the only things protecting him from the bouncing Aura weapons that were dextrously caught by their caster. The two fought like this in close-ranged fight, ice discs against kunais. Koga suddenly opened a pouch containing a toxic powder. Silver shook his head and his eyes shone. A breeze appeared that cleared the cloud to the window. He then dismissed the ice discs for two daggers he hid in his boots. The kids gulped. Silver's reflexes were lightning-fast, as if he could foresee Koga's moves. What resulted was a succession of silver flashes sparkling against dark ones. Silver was fast at gaining the advantage, his body moving like that of a dancer, graceful and deadly. Finally, he snuck under Koga's guard and gave an Aura-powered punch that cut the man's breath.

"I win."

(End music)

Koga weakly nodded.

"Indeed you are. I heard of the Shadows before. It seems the rumor is true, that says no ninja can defeat a Shadow."

"Especially the strongest of them. Let's be off."

Silver and the group left the place without a word. Once more, they would sleep outside. Except that Ash had troubles falling asleep. So he crept to his elder's side.

"Silver … what are you?"

Silver opened an eye and gave him his most honest and kindest smile.

"Someone who cares for you and loves you as his own son. That's all. All the rest are things I was." He smiled. "The past is gone, the future is uncertain, only the present remains. Better enjoy it."

Ash nodded and snuggled at his side. Silver pulled his cape so it was also covering him. Thought the bond remained between the two, something was broken.

The next Gym was located at Cinnabar Island. To go there, one had to first reach the Safari Zone. This is why the group headed here, but also because Silver offered the group to enjoy the place, which was something to experience. Earth suddenly shook, causing the group to jump. Brock turned to a cloud of dust coming their way.

"A Tauros stampede!"

"Don't stay here!" Silver screamed.

They quickly jumped out of the way. Pikachu growled at the herd and charged lightning. Damn things … Before he could launch his attack, a Growlithe tackled him.

"What the heck is that?" Ash growled.

Pikachu was angry. First a bunch of Tauros almost trampled them, then he was tackled for no reasons by a Growlithe! He jumped away from the canine Pokémon and sent a burst of lightning to teach him some manners. Growlithe retaliated with a burst of fire but Pikachu was, let's be honest, over-trained. His bolt went through the attack and zapped the dog creature just enough to cause some pain. He jumped away, whining.

"What do you think you're doing?"

A woman on a Ponyta jumped before the group. Ash came to Pikachu's side.

"I could ask you the same. Why did that Growlithe attack us? We were doing nothing wrong!"

The woman had dark hairs held by a bandana and riding clothes. She frowned.

"Really? Forgive me, then. I am Lara Laramie, one of the owners of the Laramie Ranch. Growlithe thought you were attacking the Tauros and acted to protect them."

"So we're at the ranch." Sivler smiled. "This means the Safari Zone is very close by."

Brock looked at the woman.

"I know about you! Your clan is said to breed Pokémon of superior quality!"

Lara nodded.

"We do our best in that way. Come on, I'll show you around."

The Ranch was a large set of green hills where men and women were caring for Pokémon. There were Tauros, Raticate, Nidorino and Nidorina, Dodrio and a whole lot of others. Ash looked at Ponyta.

"Do the flames burn?"

"Not the slightest. Ponyta would never burn someone she trust."

Ash chuckled.

"She's beautiful."

He came to the creature and caressed her muzzle.

"Her fur is soft."

"And her hoofs diamond-hard." Silver reminded. "Be careful, kid."

Ash took some spicy sweeties Brock had made for Fire Pokémon such as Charmander. Ponyta gladly ate them and whined. Lara grinned.

"She's starting to like you."

Silver had a kind smile.

"It's because Ash is working his 'little magic trick' on her."

The others raised a brow. Silver waited 'til Ash was all taken to what he was doing before speaking.

"Ash has a gift. Somehow, he seems to be able to bond with any Pokémon he encounters. This power is so that he can easily tame any Pokémon he meets and calm it down. On a closer level, he can develop a kind of empathic link that causes the Pokémon he's close to to be extremely loyal to him, to the point they will take decisions on their own just to protect him and help him. It's usually a gift reserved to Trainers that belong to the Healer category. Ash is one such Trainer, a Healer that cannot heal with his hand but bond with Pokémon. And that's what he's doing with Ponyta, he's connecting their hearts."

Lara was impressed.

"It took me a lot of time to gain Ponyta's trust. I'm surprised he managed to do it in such a short amount of time!"

Indeed, when Ash passed his hand in Ponyta's fiery mane, he wasn't burned. Lara turned to the group.

"We're organizing a huge party tonight. How about you join me? You'll be my guest."

Silvr grinned.

"I wasn't thinking about this kind of entertainment when we headed here, but this will do just fine."

Ash jumped.

"Oh yeah!"

"And if you stay for the night, tomorrow, you'll assist to the great Pokémon race that will happen."

"Let's stay!" Ash immediately said.

Silver nodded. The ground shook again. Misty shivered.

"The Tauros are back!"

"Not the Tauros." Lara corrected. "The Dodrio."

The three-headed birds passed in a rush. A man came to the group, mounting one of the creatures.

"Hey, Lara!"

"Dario."

The man had an arrogant face that reminded Ash of Gary. It seemed he wasn't far from the truth.

"I'm going to win the race, tomorrow. Be ready to lose."

"We'll see about it."

Silver frowned and focused his eyes so Dario would suddenly feel cold. A small revenge for his harsh words. Lara rolled her eyes.

"Dario is the Trainer of those Dodrio. They are fast but speed isn't everything in this race. He'll need more than that if he want to win."

Night finally fell and the group went in town to enjoy the party. They were having their fun time when Dario came to the group.

"Lara, your Tauros have gone mad at the ranch!"

Lara froze.

"No ways! Ponyta, let's go back!"

The group rushed back to the ranch. The Tauros were indeed causing a ruckus. Lara reacted.

"Growlithe, calm them!"

The fire dog jumped in the pen and circled the creatures while barking. The Tauros finally calmed down. Lara frowned.

"What could have caused this trouble?"

Something shiny suddenly jumped before Ponyta, scaring the creature. She reared, throwing Lara to the ground. A sharp pain shot through her arm while Ash went to Ponyta and grabbed the reins.

"Ponyta, Ponyta, calm down! Ponyta! Here, calm down, it's gone."

The boy's voice seemed to magically appease the creature who did as ordered. Brock checked Lara's arm.

"Broken."

Lara sighed.

"Great. Now I'm unable to enter the race. What a shame for Clan Laramie ..."

Silver turned to Ash.

"Not everything is lost."

The group turned to him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Ash has become fast friends with Ponyta, to the point he can touch her without getting burned."

"But he doesn't know how to ride and the race is tomorrow!"

"Wrong, he does."

He called Blitz out. Ponyta came closer to the zebra Pokémon.

"Riding is one of the first things I taught to Ash. Blitz can agree with me since it's on his back that he learned."

Blitz nodded. Silver came on his back. Ash turned to Ponyta.

"Do you mind if I compete on your back in Lara's stead tomorrow?"

The fiery horse nodded. Ash nimbly got on her back. Soon, the two were off. Lara looked at them. Ash was indeed standing on Ponyta's back without the help of a saddle and Silver was riding at his side. The man created a sphere of ice he threw to the boy. Ash grinned and caught it. They played ball like this for half an hour, Ash getting accustomed to Ponyta's back. Finally, Silver made the things serious by ordering Lya to shot fireballs to the boy and his steed. Ash had troubles dodging them but managed to avoid them all. This is how he discovered Ponyta's commands. More than simply rein movements and heels in the flanks, it was a game played between the bodies of both the rider and the mount. Leaning before while raising his feet meant Faster, leaning to one side or another meant going this way, straightening meant Slower and so on. If someone practiced for a long time, such moves would become unconscious until the man and his ride were in perfect harmony.

Ash finally brought Ponyta back to the house. He was panting.

"She's really fast! That was fun."

Lara nodded.

"I have hardly seen someone ride so naturally. You two make a great pair."

Silver went away and gave Lya his orders. The Ninetales started shooting fireballs to the sky. Still on Blitz, Silver took his bow and shot every sphere one after the other, and this while riding the Zebstrika full speed. The group was amazed.

"No wonder Ash is so good at riding." Misty said.

"If his teacher is a riding marksman, it's indeed not surprising." Lara commented.

Brock nodded.

"He doesn't miss a shot."

(Play [Run Free](https://youtu.be/3IoTV4bvIzw), from Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron)

Morning came, and with it the so-awaited race. The whole group had entered, from Silver to Brock. Ash was on Ponyta. At his side, Pikachu was riding Lya, Misty was on Starmie and Brock on Onix. The race started and Dario quickly took the lead thanks to Dodrio's speed. But Silver and Ash weren't far behind. The first obstacle was a steep path going over a hill. Something suddenly hit the Tauros who was competing. Bewildered, the creature slammed in a Nidorina who retaliated by a Poison Jab. The two Pokémon fought, totally forgetting the race. Subsequently, they were disqualified.

After the climb went the fall. A boy who was riding a Voltorb lost control of his mount and crashed in a rock on the edge of the path. Voltorb's voltage caused it to self-destruct, taking both Raticate and Sandslash. Ash dodged the blow in-extremist. The next challenge was a large river to cross through a stony path. Rhyhorn stepped on it … and drowned instantly. Seeing this, Onix stopped dead in his track and refused to move. Brock sighed. Right, Onix was dead-scared of water. It was a huge phobia of his. The race was over for him. Dario, Ash, Silver and Misty weren't stopped, however. Starmie was water-born, Dario's Dodrio nimbly jumped on the stones and was quickly followed by Blitz, Ponyta and Lya. The next challenge was a stop where Pokémon would rest to eat something.

This is where riding a Dodrio became a bad idea. The three heads started bickering to eat first, giving time to Ash and the others to catch up. Dario, seeing this, turned to a place.

"Hey, Team Rocket, do something!"

Silver raised a brow.

"Team Rocket?"

Sure as hell, the evil trio that was opposing the group since they started to journey appeared. Ash sighed.

"Not them again ..."

The trio started reciting their motto but were cut by Lya's Flamethrower.

"Knock it off, you two. And get out of there before I aim righter."

Ash noticed the glint the sun made on Meowth's golden ornament.

"Hey, you're the ones who caused Lara to break her arm!"

"Really?" Jessie raised a brow. "Aw, we're so sorry for that poor girl … just kidding."

"You won't be kidding once I'm done with you!" The Ninetales snarled. "Silver, Ash, you keep on racing! Misty and I take care of those three!"

Indeed, while the race started again, a huge explosion could be heard away, followed by a shooting star. Team Rocket was blasting off again. Dario kept having the lead but Ash and Silver were close behind. Ash growled.

"Come on, Ponyta! Faster! We have to do it for Lara!"

Ponyta knew that with her current speed, she would have no chances to win. She still ran faster. And as her body was reaching her limits, her heart reached out to Ash's and taped in the boy's feelings. It was an overflow, like a filled dam finally opening. The flood of emotions rushed in Ponyta's heart and caused a miracle. In a flash of light, she evolved. Silver's eyes widened.

"Rapidash ..."

Rapidash was much faster than Ponyta. In the blink of an eye, she reached Dario and overtook him at the finish. Dario ended second and Silver third. Lara ran at them.

"That's incredible! Ponyta evolved into a wonderful Rapidash!"

"It was all thanks to Ash's link with her. Ponyta reached for Ash's feelings and they caused her to evolve. You can be proud."

Dario came to them.

"What the heck happened here? You completely cheated on that one!"

"Not as far as I know." Silver retorted. "However, you cheated by having Team Rocket set traps to take off the other contestants."

Dario snarled.

"Damn it! Dodrio, Drill Peck!"

Before the bird could reach, Rapidash answered with a strong Fire Spin. Silver grinned.

"Go join your underlings! Blitz, Lightning Blast!"

Blitz charged lightning in his horn and sent a strong electric beam that sent Dario and his Dodrio flying. Ash cheered.

"He got what he deserved."

"And thanks to you, the Laramie Clan won the race. You can be proud, kiddo."

(End music)

The festivities were huge. Everyone praised Lara for her training of Ponyta and Ash for his mastery of the fiery horse. The group finally left for the Safari Zone, who they reached one day later. However, when they tried to enter, the Keeper of the Zone was unpleasant with them and threatened them with a gun! Needless to say Silver didn't really like it. Before them man could even react, the adventurer had jumped and tackled him to the ground.

"What in Arceus's name is your problem? It's not with that kind of attitude that you'll lure clients here. And I don't talk about pointing a weapon toward a group of kids ..."

That's the thing with Silver. Threaten people he holds dear and meet your doom. The keeper gulped and dropped his weapon. He led the group inside and handed them Safari Balls and a fishing rod.

"The rules are simple. You can only use Safari Balls and this fishing rod to catch Pokémon. Do otherwise and you'll be fired."

Misty noticed a picture. It was that of the man, Kaiser, and a Dratini.

"There's a Dratini here? I heard about it. It's so cute ..."

"Dratini and their evolutionary line are pseudo-legendary Pokémon." Silver explained. "They aren't Legendaries, but their rarity makes them almost so. There are other pseudo-legendary Pokémon like that. Most are Dragon-types."

"Can you give us some names?" Brock asked.

"Sure. Along Dragonite, Dratini's final form, there is Metagross, Salamence, Tyranitar, Garchomp and Hydreigon. Some people also count Pokémon like Unown, Absol, Rotom or Phione, who is the offspring of the Legendary Pokémon Manaphy."

Kaiser was surprised.

"You know a lot."

"Hence the reason I'm with them. I'm Ash's mentor and father by heart. That apart, I traveled a lot so I know quite a number of things."

"Then … maybe you've heard about the story of this place."

Siler closed his eyes.

"I think I did. It's about this Dratini, right?"

Kaiser lowered his head.

"Thirty years ago, I discovered a Dratini living here. People heard of it and all came to the Safari Zone to hunt it. The Zone was ravaged and a lot of Pokémon were captured. Ever since, the place has been a preserve with rules that only Safari Balls can be used. Dratini was, luckily, never found."

Ash took a poké-ball.

"I wonder if I can use the place to train Poochyena."

"No."

"Damn."

The group entered the area and looked around.

"Alright, let's see if there are any interesting Pokémon to get ..."

Ash looked at his poké-balls.

"Honestly … I don't really know. I have more than enough Pokémon to make a team. I'm afraid that, if I catch too much of them, I won't be able to give them the attention their need."

Silver smiled.

"Then catch them not for yourself but for others. Delia must be pretty lonely with you away and Oak is always boasting how Gary always has more Pokémon than you."

"Yep, but they receive less love while I threat all my Pokémon equally. You taught me at the very least that."

So they roamed the area looking for Pokémon. Ash caught a Venomoth and a couple of Nidoran for his mother, as well as a Chancey to help Professor Oak in caring for the Pokémon at his corral. Misty remained by the waterside and caught three Magikarp, a Slowpoke she released, several Goldeen for her sisters, a Krabby and a Poliwag. She kept none and sent them to Cerulean City. Brock went looking for some Rock or Ground Pokémon to send to Pewter City and was happy to catch some Rhyhorn and two Cubone. Finally, as a joke against the ever-complaining professor, Ash used his remaining Safari Balls to catch a herd of Tauros and several Kangaskhan he sent to the lab. As they were passing by the waterside, Misty noticed something. It was a little blue draconic head.

"Well, if my eyes aren't mistaken, it's a Dratini." Silver smiled.

The group immediately gathered to see the little snake-like dragon who was looking at them with curiosity. Kaiser soon joined them.

"Dratini? Is that you?"

A blue head slowly rose from the water. Silver's eyes widened.

"I don't think so ..."

The head belonged to a graceful Dragonair. Ash's eyes were wide.

"Is that … Dratini's parent?"

"Yep, and Kaiser's missing Dratini. Looks like it evolved and had a little family in the Zone."

Kaiser was so shaken that tears were running from his eyes. In a second, he and Dragonair were hugging, happy to be finally reunited.

"To think the Safari Zone is the home of a Dragonair family … you should do something that people won't bother them. Dragonair are almost as rare as Legendaries."

Kaiser nodded.

"I will, believe me. Dragonair is my friend. I'll do anything in my power to protect it and its child. I promise!"

"As long as it doesn't involve a gun..."

Later on, the group was transferring their Pokémon to their respective place. Misty's sisters were happy to have some new Pokémon to perform with while Brock's siblings were happy to have the two Cubone to play with. Delia was grateful that her son has thought about her. The two Nidoran were great pets while Venomoth helped her at home. Finally came the time to transfer the other Pokémon Ash caught.

"You said you used all your Safari Balls in catching them? Ash, my boy, you're growing in my esteem."

"Sure. Here's Chansey. I thought you'd like some help at the lab."

"Indeed. Thanks for thinking about me."

Ash's grin turned evil.

"And here are the others."

Oak raised a brow as a sound was heard. He turned … and jumped in fear as a horde of Tauros and Kangaskhan rushed through the lab, trampling everything in their path. The Professor weakly rose.

"That… was… uncalled for."

"Hey, you're always complaining that I don't catch enough Pokémon. I thought you'd like these ones."

Oak sighed. Alright, Ash got his revenge. It seemed Silver rubbed more and more on the boy. The group was laughing wholeheartedly while Silver caressed Ash's head.

"Well done, kid."


	12. Pokémon heroes

I'll go on forever  
All that really matters  
Blessed realm  
This world is sacred  
(I'm coming home!)

War it's now or never  
We shall stand together  
One by one  
This world is sacred  
(I'm coming home!)  
[Sacred World](https://youtu.be/JyfE55c_ZjI), Blind Guardian

After many weeks spent in the wilderness of the Safari Zone and its surroundings, Ash and the group were finally back to civilization. Ash stretched.

"I feel so good!"

Silver laughed.

"Let's head for the Center. I miss soft beds and warm showers."

"You're not the only one." Misty sighed.

They were walking down the street when a huge hanging bridge came into view. Misty raised a brow.

"What a long bridge!"

"It's the famous Kanto Route 17, also known as the Cycling Road because of the large number of cyclists and bikers who take it. I heard it was the longest hanging bridge of the Regions. Last time I came by, they were renovating it. The security standards were out of date."

Brock squinted his eyes.

"I see people crossing it. They must have finished."

"To the Center first. We'll cross it after we're fully rested."

So they settled in the Pokémon Center. After a long and warm shower and a good meal, the group was resting on the sofas. Nurse Joy was passing by and stopped. Ash noticed it.

"Is there something wrong? You're giving us a weird look."

The nurse looked away, hesitating a little before speaking.

"Well ... I do have a favor to ask you. I know you just arrived and want to rest, but I have a serious problem. There is this medicine I must deliver to the Pokémon of Sunny Town, but I have so much to do in the Center ..."

"You need delivery boys." Silver summed up.

"Yes."

The man sighed.

"Well, I guess we could take a longer rest in Sunny Town. Let's do this."

Misty sighed.

"And as always, we're playing good Samaritans."

They were about to leave but the nurse stopped them.

"Wait. To reach Sunny Town, you need to use bicycles. The car road isn't finished yet, only the cycling path is open. And the bridge is too long to be taken by foot."

The group looked at one another. They were in troubles.

"Don't worry, though. I'll lend you the bicycles owned by the Center. They are on the parking lot. Just leave them on the parking of Sunny Town Center when you're arrived."

"Alright."

So the group packed their things and left. Silver, not really liking the use of bikes, preferred to use Blitz as his mount. Ash was carrying the medicine in his bag. Not having had the opportunity to use a bike in a long time, the three kids were enjoying themselves greatly. Ash even laughed and started to race Silver and Blitz. The group raced like that a little for fun before returning to a steadier rhythm. They stopped in a resting area in the middle of the bridge to take a drink and were about to leave when a sound was heard. Silver turned and froze.

"What's that?" Ash asked.

Silver frowned.

"Bikers. Motorcycling bikers. In other words, the worst kind. Get the A-team ready, kids. Those guys aren't here to smoke. They are here for us."

Pikachu's cheeks immediately sparkled. It was indeed a group of bikers wearing spiked wristbands and punk-styled hairs, black tattoos of skulls and bones and black leather jackets. Silver sighed.

"They don't even have protective helmets. Scumbags."

Lya jumped at his side. The man turned to the kids.

"Listen. Those guys are looking for troubles, and I intend to give them some. Don't be scared of them. They play tough but, if you play tough too and show you aren't scared of them, they're the ones who'll get scared."

Ash nodded.

"They're bullies, right?"

"Yeah, bullies with metal rods and bike chains."

Ash's eyes narrowed. For having been bullied by Gary all the time, he had developed a fierce hatred against harassers. The band encircled the group of four. The leader had a Harley-Davidson V-Rod customized to look like Zapdos. The others had various powerful machines ranking from the Cafe Racer to the Chopper or Triumph. Silver stepped before the leader.

"What do you want?"

The man took his sunglasses off.

"You guys are new around, I see."

Silver frowned.

" _What. Do. You. Want?_ We have an errand to run."

The Biker crossed his arms.

"We want a battle. If you want to cross this bridge, fight us and win. If you can ..."

"You're asking if we can win the fight?" Silver asked. "Ask instead if you can beat that little black head over there. Ready, Ash?"

Ash crossed his arms and gave the biker a confident glare. The leader growled.

"You have guts, I'll give you that. Those we've met so far ran away in fear while pissing their pants. Let's see how much of a challenge you are."

They went to the resting area and faced each other.

"Ready, kid?"

"When you are."

(Play [Hunter's Chance](https://youtu.be/6_iqiPErEDg), Final Fantasy IX)

The fight started with the biker calling for Golem. Ash frowned and took a poké-ball. From it emerged Haunter. The two Pokémon faced each other.

"Let's make it fast!" The man grinned. "Golem, Rock Throw!"

"Haunter, catch it!"

Golem summoned a rock he threw to the little Ghost. Haunter effortlessly caught it and turned to his Trainer. Ash grinned.

"Charge it with darkness and send it back!"

Haunter gladly obeyed. While he was at it, he rushed at Golem and landed a Shadow Claw. The biker growled.

"Golem, Stone Edge!"

Hundreds of little rocks surrounded Golem and were launched to Haunter almost at point-blank range. Yet the little ghost managed to avoid them with surprising agility and retaliated with Dark Pulse. The blow hit the Rock Pokémon right in the head. Misty raised a fist.

"Headshot!"

As a finish, Haunter charged both of his claws with darkness and landed a combo on Golem's body. Silver raised a brow.

"It's the first time I see this attack. Did you make it up?"

"Yeah. Seeing that you always invent new attacks for your Pokémon, I thought it wasn't a bad idea to do the same. I called this one Dark Assault."

Silver nodded. Golem crumbled to the ground, defeated. The leader of the biker's gang was surprised.

"Impressive. But I'm not finished yet. Fearow, your turn!"

A Fearow appeared. Haunter went back to Ash's side and suddenly shivered. Ash was surprised.

(Pause)

"Haunter? What's wrong?"

Haunter's body started to glow as if he was evolving but, somehow, the glow was shimmering. Silver's eyes widened.

"Haunter is resisting evolution! Ash, take your Pokédex and hit the Cancel button while aiming at him!"

Ash nodded and did as told. Haunter stopped glowing and breathed.

"You don't want to evolve?" Ash asked his friend.

Haunter shook his head. Lya translated his words.

"Haunter likes himself the way he is. He prefers staying as a Haunter than evolving to Gengar. Being in this form is funnier."

Ash nodded.

"Alright. If that's what you want, I won't force you. But it means I must avoid using you unless I want this to happen again."

"Don't worry about it." Silver reassured him. "Once we are at Sunny Town, I'll leave you guys for some time. Remember Everstones can halt a Pokémon's evolution. If Haunter has a jewel, say a ring with an Everstone on it, no matter how much he fights, he will never evolve."

Ash's eyes lit up.

"That would be great!"

The leader was surprised by the boy's action.

"That's a weird thing you're doing. Don't you know evolved Pokémon are stronger than basic ones?"

Ash glared at him.

"Contrary to some people I know, I care for my Pokémon. If they don't want to evolve, that's their choice. I'm not going to force them. You know why? Because they are my partners and friends. We are in this _together_ and get out of everything _together_. My Pokémon aren't tools."

The man nodded.

"I see what you mean. Well, I met a lot of people before, but none had this weird mix of guts, brawn and kindness you have. I am Chopper, and I have to admit, you're growing in my esteem. Those I faced before were either stupid cowards or arrogant grunts. It's nice seeing someone who's none."

He looked at his opponent.

"Let's see what Pokémon you'll use since I'm guessing you won't be using Haunter."

Ash grinned.

(Restart music)

"Charmander will do just fine."

Bird and salamander looked at one another before starting the hostilities.

"Fearow, Drill Peck!"

"Let's make it quick! Charmander, trap him with Fire Spin and finish with Inferno!"

As Fearow was diving to him, the little creature breathed a circle of flames before launching a heavy burst of fire. The bird Pokémon was down for the count.

"Looks like I win."

(End music)

Chopper nodded.

"Yep. And nicely. Your Pokémon are powerful. Usually, I would let you pass but I'm curious to see what your red-haired friend could do."

Ash turned to Misty who nodded.

"No problems. Who will you send against me?"

A girl with green hairs came.

"I am Tyra. I'll take you on."

She took a poké-ball.

(Play [Working Together](https://youtu.be/NrXeLVy-nDI), from Kingdom Hearts II)

"Go, Cloyster!"

Misty grinned.

"Oddish, time to go!"

Silver frowned.

"Watch out, Misty. Cloyster can use Ice attacks and Oddish is very sensitive to it."

"I know. But there's something about Oddish. You'll see during the fight… if I'm not mistaken."

Cloyster faced the little Weed Pokémon, his horn threatening his opponent. Oddish was a bit scared but tried to hide it. Misty's reassuring smile gave him some assurance.

"Cloyster, Icicle Spear!"

The shell-like Pokémon launched a flurry of icicles that hit Oddish, bringing him very close to defeat. But Misty wasn't about to give up.

"Oddish, use Giga Drain!"

Oddish nodded and launched a seed that hit Cloyster's black head. His leafs then turned bright green and the Water Pokémon's energy was sucked dry. Misty nodded.

"Now, attack with Petal Dance!"

Oddish span on himself, his health fully restored, and unleashed a flurry of pink petals the weakened Cloyster was too weak to avoid. Finally, Misty gave her final order.

"Oddish, Solar Beam!"

The creature's leafs charged with solar energy that blasted his opponent. Cloyster was defeated, but it wasn't all. The little Grass Pokémon glowed brightly and morphed to take another form. When the light faded, he was a Gloom. Silver looked at the girl.

(End music)

"You knew it would happen."

"Yes. After Oddish learned and mastered Petal Dance, I thought he would soon evolve. He was so powerful, it just had to happen."

Ash laughed.

"Well, congrats! That was a nice fight."

"Indeed it was." Tyra smiled. "And to make Oddish evolve in the end, you guys are powerful in your own rights."

Chopper looked at the sky.

"You said you had an errand to run, right?"

"Yeah, a medicine to deliver to the Pokémon Center of Sunny Town."

"Then let us take you with us. Our motorbikes are faster than your little cycles and I feel a storm coming."

"What about the bicycles?" Brock asked.

"We'll put them on the back. Our bikes are large enough to carry them."

Dark clouds were covering the sky. Down the road, the group and the biker gang were racing against the storm to arrive in time. They made it just as lightning flared. Nurse Joy was surprised to see them surrounded by Bikers, but Ash got out of the V-Rod and opened his bag, revealing the precious item.

"Here is the medicine, Nurce Joy."

The woman quickly took it.

"Thank you so much! Shellder's state was really worsening."

She released it in the water, causing the little shell Pokémon to instantly feel better. Brock called the other nurse to tell her the trip had been a success. Outside the Center, the storm was raging.

"We can't take the road with such a weather." Chopper growled. "Looks like we'll be forced to stay inside."

"As long as you don't cause any ruckus..." Nurse Joy smiled.

It was because of them that Ash and his friends had made it in time, so she could let them take some rest here a little, as well as healing their Pokémon. Silver placed the hood of his cape on his head. Misty turned to him.

"You're not going out by this storm, are you?"

"The storm that saw me come to Pallet Town was twice as bad, and I was half-dead when I reached Oak's lab. Besides, I have to make an Everstone ring for Haunter … and fetch a Sun Stone for you."

"Make?"

"Nothing … Just take some rest. I won't be long."

Calling for Blitz, Silver rode under the storm. The darkness quickly absorbed his dark figure. Ash looked at him leaving.

"Every times I see a storm, I can't help but imagine Silver riding under the rain like this, with his hood on him, water soaking his clothes and Blitz's fur, galloping at full speed to an unknown location."

It was a somewhat poetic vision, that of a lone rider under the rain. He fell asleep with this picture in head, a picture that was exactly that of the man when he first arrived in his village. Unbeknownst to him, it wasn't exactly what Silver was doing. Once out of the village, the man took a silver pendant with a pink gemstone. It was a gift from Palkia, the Legendary Pokémon of Space and an old friend of his. He took it and closed his eyes, imagining a place warmer and brighter than this one. When he opened them, he was in a volcanic cavern with lava running around and materials for forging. Silver smiled. It was his haven, his secret place.

_His workshop._

He took his cape off and undressed until he was bare-chested. Lya got out of her poké-ball.

"It feels good to be home."

"This place isn't my home, Lya. It is only my workshop. My only two homes are Pallet Town and Cloud City."

Lya chuckled. Silver headed for a room and took some shards of steel and silver.

"Mind lending a paw, girl?"

The Ninetales nodded. Ever since Silver saved her from falling in a lava pit in this very place, she had been his friend and assistant. The following hour was spent crafting the ring for the little Ghost type. Finally, as the metal was still warm, Silver went to his storage room and took the smallest Everstone he had, only to set it on the ring. He finally dipped the jewel in a bucket of pure water and watched his work. The result was a perfectly circular silver ring decorated with a small Everstone. Simple, yet beautiful. Silver turned to Lya.

"What do you think of it?"

"Nice. Very in your style. I would have added some spikes to fit Haunter's form but that thing is fine as it is."

"Alright. Time to grab a Sun Stone and we're off."

He used the pendant to once again teleport near the Center and entered. Misty raised her head.

"That was fast!"

"I told you it would be short."

He saw Ash asleep and smiled.

"He's cute when he sleeps. Here."

He handed the girl the evolutionary stone. Misty gladly took it. He then placed the small ring near Ash's head and waited for him to wake up, which occurred a few minutes later. The boy rubbed his eyes and saw his mentor.

"Slept well?"

"Yeah."

He then saw the ring near him. Carefully, he took it in his hands and called Haunter.

"Haunter, Silver has finished your ring."

Brock raised a brow.

"You don't ask how he could make it this fast?"

Ash sighed.

"If there's something I've learned about Silver, it is that he is a total enigma concealed in a puzzle filled with so much mystery it is almost a legend. So I just stopped asking, knowing he hates talking about his past and a lifetime wouldn't be enough to discover all of his secrets. There's so much about him … Instead of asking, I'd rather keep quiet and watch, hoping at least some questions will be answered."

Silver listened to his student and smirked.

"You have no ideas how true you are. But don't forget this: one, I will never do anything that will cause you or your friends harm. Two, some things are better left unsaid."

And yet, the path is long to become the best and Ash's journey had just started. Long was the road ahead of him and huge the knowledge he would acquire with time. Right now, the boy was just an innocent child who hadn't even stepped into the world of adults. But when he would, the turmoils of teenage would shake him and transform him in a way no one would have expected. Just like his mentor was more than met the eye, so was Ash, but his potential was hidden, concealed in a shell that would one day break. Only when this day came, only would Ash's questions be answered and he would realize what he truly was within. But now wasn't the time. It was too early.

Haunter passed the ring to his finger and giggled in happiness. Now, he would be able to fight without fearing to evolve. Misty looked at the Sun Stone.

"I wonder what I should do. Make Gloom evolve now or wait a little?"

Gloom looked at his Trainer. He was starting to know her well and knew for a fact that she liked cute Pokémon… something he wasn't exactly. He also knew that the smell he released could cause some problems if, by any lack of luck, it stunk. He looked at Silver and spoke. The man raised a brow.

"Well, if I remember … The only new attacks you'll get to learn as a Gloom are Poison types. Bellossom are pure Grass types."

Gloom nodded and took the Sun Stone in his hands. In a flash of light, he turned into a Bellossom. Misty's eyes lit up.

"Wow! You're beautiful!"

Bellossom blushed a little and looked at himself in a mirror. Silver nodded.

"Now that Bellossom has reached his final evolutionary stage, he can learn new powerful attacks such as Leaf Storm and Hyper Beam. You're going to have a perfect anti-losing streak once you return to Cerulean City … and your sisters will be happy too, since Belossom are known to be fairly good dancers."

Misty nodded. Sensing his Trainer happy, Bellossom made some dancing steps. Acting on impulse, Silver got a small flute out but Nurse Joy called them.

"Mister, we got a piano if you want."

Silver froze and turned to her.

"Where?"

She took them to the cafeteria. There was an old piano here almost no one used. Silver grinned widely.

"Perfect. Ready?"

Belossom nodded. Silver sat and started to play. The moment his hands touched the keys, the atmosphere of the room changed. Suddenly caught by a furious desire to shake it, Bellossom jumped on a table and danced the best he could. The others quickly felt the same.

"I knew Silver was a good pianist." Ash laughed. "But it's the first time I see him play like that!"

It was a lively tune, the kind that makes you want to forget everything else and make a Combee line for the dance floor. Ash didn't miss it. He released all of his Pokémon and adjusted his moves on the Grass Pokémon. The rest of the group joined them and, for a quarter of hours, the cafeteria was turned into a small party ground. Joy smiled seeing the group having fun. They left the next morning with a team fully rested and in full shape.

After a few days, they were passing by Matcha Town when Pikachu suddenly crumbled down the path. Ash took him in his arms.

"Pikachu? Are you alright?"

Silver frowned.

"He looks excessively tired. Weird. We should go to a Center to see what's wrong."

Problem is, the Center was in a mess. Chansey were running left and right and the local Nurse Joy was hung on the phone, talking to people. Ash raised a brow.

"What's happening here?"

Nurse Joy turned to them.

"We have a problem with the Transfer System. Every time we send a somewhat rare Pokémon like Gyarados, the Pokémon that arrives is switched. We don't know what to do at all."

Silver frowned.

"Someone must be hacking in your program."

A man suddenly ran from the Center, totally panicked.

"What's with him?" Misty asked.

Joy sighed.

"His name is Steve Antipolis, he is one of the inventors of the Storage and Transfer System. His house is a little ahead. You'll find it easily."

Silver looked at the door.

"For him to run like that, he's found something … Let's go see If we can help him. By the way..."

He turned to Ash who nodded and took Pikachu.

"My Pikachu is tired and I don't know why. Could you check up on him … if you have time?"

The woman smiled.

"We always have time to heal suffering Pokémon. Don't worry. Pikachu will be fine when you're back."

Ash nodded and ran with the group to Antipolis's house. The building was a large decaying mansion that would need to be renovated. The group slowly entered.

"Doctor? Doctor Antipolis?"

A giant head suddenly appeared as they crossed a dark corridor. The inside of the house was completely empty and dusty, just like a haunted building, so seeing a giant head made of polygons was a little more than creepy. Misty jumped in fear but Silver didn't seem that surprised.

"Wh-what is that?" The girl asked.

"Most likely a hologram." Silver answered. "A 3-D picture."

"Indeed I am." The face said. "Well, since you found me out, come. I could use some help and you look somewhat skilled in informatics."

" _I_ am." Silver rectified. "Those kids know nothing of it."

The image was generated by a strange blue machine with several wheels. It led them to a large room containing electronic devices of all kinds. One of them was a large tube the hologram wanted them to enter.

"What will it do?"

"You'll see."

The group looked at one another.

"I'll go first." Silver answered. "To see if it's safe."

Antipolis seemed hesitant a little, then explained.

"Alright, you win. This machine is the same as a Transporter, except I modified it so it works for humans. Once you step inside, you will be sent inside the Transporter System where you'll hopefully be able to solve the problem affecting the Transporter."

Misty shivered.

"No ways I'm getting inside."

"I'm going." Ash decided. "I want to know what's wrong with the System."

"Then I'm staying with Misty." Brock decided. "Good luck to you two."

Silver and Ash stepped inside the glass cylinder that closed behind them. Suddenly, a blue and pink polygonal creature appeared. It seemed quite friendly. Antipolis explained.

"This is my creation, the Virtual Pokémon Porygon. He will help you once in the System." The Doctor frowned. "A group of thieves came and stole my prototype Porygon. Now they are inside the computer world and are stealing the Pokémon coming from the Center. I will take you inside the System so you can bring them out. Ready to go?"

"Ready." Ash answered. He turned to Silver. "Ten Poké-dollars it is Team Rocket."

"Deal."

A beam hit them and digitized them, carrying mentor and student inside the virtual world. They came out of a spinning metal ring alongside Porygon and began to fall. Reacting on instinct, Silver focused his ice powers and created two large wings of ice. Ash took a poké-ball and released Haunter from it. The little Ghost type caught his Trainer in his arms but had troubles keeping him up. Sensing their problem, Porygon flew to them and grew so that the boy could ride on its back. Silver grinned.

"Of course, since it's made with data, once in a computer world, it can modify its shape at will."

Now that he was safe, Ash took the time to look around. Thousands of circuits were running everywhere and lights in the shape of beams and dots were racing on them. One of them quickly caught Silver's attention.

"That's it! The highway sending poké-balls from the Center. If your guess is right, Team Rocket should be further the line."

As planned, they found Team Rocket in front of a large pile of poké-balls. They had stopped the traffic using signs and were enjoying how well their plan worked. Silver turned to his student.

(Play [Derezzed-remixed version](https://youtu.be/YksktE4qliA), Daft Punk)

"We take them by surprise or we warn them?"

Ash smiled.

"Surprise attack. Haunter, Shadow Ball."

Silver generated his own Aura Sphere and launched it at the trio. Meowth was the first to get back to his senses.

"It's the twerp and his dad! They're attacking us!"

Silver released all of his Pokémon while Ash did the same.

"Let's take care of them!"

Ash turned to Haunter, Squirtle and Charmander.

"Take those barriers off! Pidgeotto and Poochyena, go with me and fight them off!"

Silver grinned and ordered Riyo and Gaya to help them while Lya, Espera, Blitz and Odin fought Team Rocket off. Sensing they were outnumbered, Team Rocket took a Pokémon.

"Porygon, go!"

Silver growled.

"This is bad ..."

Indeed, as Antipolis explained during their trip, Porygon has an ability called Conversion, which enabled him to take the appearance of any Pokémon it met. While it gave it the edge during battles against another Pokémon, against one of its kind, it was useless. Prototype and real one started to fight.

"Usually, our Porygon should have the edge." Silver reasoned. "It is the definite version of the Pokémon. Porygon Zero is but a prototype. It isn't perfect."

Indeed, after a short fight, the real Porygon won over its predecessor and threw it away … straight in the evil trio who got blasted again. Ash dusted his hands.

"Done. Let's take care of the highway. Oh, and ..." He held his hand to his mentor. "You owe me ten Poké-dollars."

Silver sighed and took a bill he placed in the boy's hand. With the help of their Pokémon, they managed to remove the barriers blocking the highway but a screen appeared, carrying Antipolis's head on it.

"We've got problems!"

Silver frowned.

"What kind?"

"The Center called for a specialist who sent an anti-virus into the system! It's going to get you!"

Silver froze.

"Alright, we're in trouble. Let's finish this quick and get the heck outta here."

Sensing it was an emergency, the group got rid of the barrage just as a strange ambulance-shaped vehicle came. The vehicle changed appearance and became a kind of airship whose cannons were syringes.

"Let's be off!"

Ash jumped on Porygon and returned everyone while Silver took flight, his Pokémon safely inside their poké-balls. A wild chase began between the anti-virus and the duo. Fortunately, Silver was a good fighter. He turned to Ash.

"Return to the real world! I'll delete that stuff."

On this, he flew to the program and released an ice arrow on a wing. The program fired several missiles to the man and the escaping boy. Fortunately, Charmander got out of his poké-ball and incinerated the scuds before they could reach his Trainer. Silver took care of the others with is swords. He dived to the machine, swords out, and sliced its wings. Back at the Center, the programmer couldn't understand a thing.

"Well I never! This virus is way stronger than expected! Worse, it fights back."

Silver gathered all of his energy in his hands and generated a powerful ice sphere, this at the moment the program was revealing a huge cannon. Ash gasped.

"Silver!"

The man turned to him.

"Escape!"

Porygon obeyed and carried the boy through the Transfer Point. Silver grinned.

"Alright, let's have fun… _Eternal Winter!_ "

He blasted the sphere the moment the cannon fired. The impact caused a huge explosion that threw him through the portal.

(End music)

Ash materialized back in the real world with Porygon.

"Phew, that was something!"

He was about to get out when smoke invaded the tube and Silver fell inside. The door finally opened, leaving Misty and Brock rush inside.

"Are you alright?"

"My body hurts ..." Silver growled.

Doctor Antipolis found them as they were exiting the mansion.

"Thank you a lot! Now the system is repaired and the evil gang was thrown away!"

"They made it out?" Ash asked.

The man nodded.

"They came out of the machine a little while earlier. Well, what did you think of my invention?"

Silver grinned.

"I've seen a similar system before. Turning people into data and transferring them via an electronic network is a good idea. But your invention need a serious upgrade, especially regarding safety."

"Really?" Ash asked. "You've seen something like this?"

"Yes. The Ancients were way beyond us in terms of technology, remember. I found the schematics of those Human Transfer Machines they conceived. I think I still have them somewhere ..."

He looked at the Doctor.

"I'll send them to you as soon as I find them. I think you can have some use to it ..."

Antipolis's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Yes!"

The group returned to the Center, which was way quieter now that the crisis was solved. Even better, Pikachu had fully recovered.

"Pikachu was simply exhausted from fighting too much and had run out of electricity. It happens at times. Keep him from fighting for some days and he'll be just fine."

Ash nodded and they left the place. They had still a long road to go ...


	13. For friends

All that we needed tonight  
Are people who love us and like  
I know how it feels to need  
Oh when we leave here, you'll see

Open to everything happy and sad  
Seeing the good when it's all going bad  
Seeing the sun when I can't really see  
Hoping the sun will at least look at me

Focus on everything better today  
All that I needed I never could say  
Hold on to people, they're slipping away  
Hold on to this while it's slipping away  
[Slipping away](https://youtu.be/AGmVQjdMSR4), Moby

The group continued their journey across Kanto. A long time had gone since they left Pallet Town. Eight months … As they rested by a tree near a waterfall, Silver couldn't help but be thoughtful. The group had released their Pokémon to take some air and while Misty and Brock were sleeping, Ash was climbing trees, swinging among the vines. The boy may be a Trainer, but he was also a child. Silver looked at his son-by-heart. In eight months, Ash had grown a lot physically and mentally. Even though he still relied on the man for guidance, Silver was slowly trying to make him less dependent. Well, anyway, Ash was still a good Trainer and fighter. His Pokémon were powerful. After all, he managed to beat Gary Oak, who had quite a reputation before. Talking about him, the man wondered how he was doing …

Ash landed on a branch and looked at Pikachu who was picking berries in a nearby tree. Pikachu jumped to the ground with his finds when he noticed something. It was a small Pikachu coming from the bushes, a flower behind his ear. Pikachu was surprised. The small electric mouse came out of the bush, revealing a dent in his tail. Ash raised a brow.

"A girl?"

Female Pikachu has a V-shaped dent at the end of their tail. Pikachu sparkled his cheeks lightly, inviting her to the conversation and offering her a berry he had found. The girl hesitated a moment before turning tail to run. Pikachu didn't think twice before following her. Ash jumped from the tree.

"I'm following them!"

"I'm coming." Silver smiled as he rose from his position.

The group followed Pikachu to a small clearing. A large group of Pikachu and Pichu were here, living peacefully. Silver smiled.

"They must be wild. I suggest you don't get too near. There's nothing to tell they are used to human contact or not."

The Pikachu girl was watching over two little Pichu who were playing around a stump. Two bigger Pikachu were watching over her. Pikachu hesitated a little before jumping in the clearing. Immediately, all the Pikachu turned to him, worried. Pikachu came to them, sparkling his cheeks, but the group quickly ran at the end of the clearing. Brock nodded.

"Yep, they are wild."

The Pikachu girl didn't seem that scared, however. She came to Pikachu and sniffed him before sparkling her cheek. The two rubbed their faces, communicating through electricity. Finally, she offered the male her tail, which he shook with his own. The effect was instant. The whole Pikachu clan surrounded the two. Misty smiled.

"Looks like they accepted him."

Ash was about to move but Silver stopped him.

"Stay clear, I said. Those Pikachu are wild. You will scare them."

Ash lowered his head and nodded. The group gathered a little away so not to disturb the Pikachu. Silver grinned.

"Wild Pikachu are hard to find. Because he has a Real Name, it means Pikachu was born wild too since Pokémon raised in captivity don't have a Real Name. I think it would be interesting to watch from afar to see how those little electric mouses live."

Ash nodded. He somewhat knew Pikachu wasn't born along humans. Silver noticed something was eating him.

"Hey, kid, what's wrong?"

"Well..."

He couldn't finish his sentence. A cry was heard along a big splash and the little Pikachu girl passed by them, carried by the river. Reacting on instinct, Pikachu ran after her and jumped in the torrent. Ash gasped.

"They're reaching the fall!"

The other Pikachu immediately teamed up and made a chain that caught Ash's Pikachu and his friend just in time. The mouse rope was then pulled back to the ground. Needless to say the creature was acclaimed by the clan. The Pikachu girl even offered him an apple. Ash sighed.

"Pikachu is doing fine with them. Actually, it makes me worried."

Silver raised a brow.

"Really?"

"Yes. He and I are great friends. What if he wants to stay with them?"

Silver understood his student's worry. He and Pikachu were close. Pikachu was a key member to his team and an excellent friend. Any separation between the two would be tearful. He smiled kindly.

"I understand. Come here."

Ash obeyed and let the man trap him in a gentle hug.

"It is Pikachu's choice to stay with the clan or not. In any case, the best thing you can do as a friend is to accept his decision."

Ash nodded. Poochyena came to her Trainer and growled lightly, worry in her eyes. Ash smiled. The young Dark type was very affectionate toward him, mainly due to her young age. The boy took her in his arms and hugged her, earning licks on his cheeks.

Pikachu quickly bonded with the clan and got accepted by it. The little Pikachu girl was often around him when she wasn't watching over her younger siblings. Pikachu helped her doing this, as well as gathering berries and other menial chores. While the group used these days to rest, Silver spent his time studying the clan. Usually, he would have suggested Ash to do the same but he fully understood the pain that was eating the boy right now, a pain his Pokémon friends had troubles erasing. One night, the group saw them singing to the stars. Lya somehow managed to translate the song but, as she said, the words of humans could barely re-transcribe the nuances held by Pokémon language.

_Wild and free under the sky_   
_We are the land's shooting stars_   
_Running so fast we can fly_   
_We are the land's shooting stars_

_Cold the night and bright the moon_   
_This is the land we live in_   
_But we know we'll leave it soon_   
_As a new dawn is comin'_

_Wild and free under the sky_   
_We are the land's shooting stars_   
_Running so fast we can fly_   
_We are the land's shooting stars_

_Golden sun is our father_   
_Glowing bright, shining light_   
_Raging storm is our mother_   
_Striking fast with speed and might_

_Wild and free under the sky_   
_We are the land's shooting stars_   
_Running so fast we can fly_   
_We are the land's shooting stars_

Misty grinned.

"I didn't know wild Pokémon did this."

"There's a lot we don't know about Pokémon." Silver grinned. "It is said that, in old and forgotten times, the Ancients turned the Pokémon from wild and ferocious beasts into the creatures they are now. Imagine a roaming Charizard or Gyarados. Those beasts are powerful. What would it be if they were less tame?"

Misty couldn't help but shiver. The group went to sleep. Sensing Ash was still worried, Silver decided to sleep by his side. As he thought, the kid turned to him for comfort. The night was short, however. Especially when Team Rocket came and tried to capture the clan. At first, it worked. The Pikachu and Pichu were caught in a net trap and, when the group tried to save them, they were also imprisoned in a net … that was quickly ripped off by Poochyena's strong jaws. The evil trio tried to fly away with a hot air balloon but Pikachu, taking example on the younger Pokémon, gnawed the net with his rodent teeth and made an opening. Silver grinned.

"Let's use my cape as a life net!"

The four each took a corner of the clothe and let the Pikachu and Pichu jump in it while Pikachu distracted the trio. Once the clan was safe, a strong Thunderbolt from the mouse sent the evil doers blasting off. Ash looked as Pikachu was acclaimed by the clan, and especially the little Pikachu girl. Over the past few days, the two had become really close. The boy clenched his hand.

"That's it."

He took a poké-ball with a lightning bolt on it. Silver frowned.

"That's Pikachu's poké-ball." He looked at his student. "You want to release him."

"Yes. Pikachu was born wild, you said it yourself. If he feels better with his kin, I won't force him to come with me." He frowned. "I'll leave tomorrow."

When the sun rose, the group packed their thing. Those days in the wild did them good but it was time to return to civilization. Pikachu watched his friend leave without him and ran by his side.

"Pikapi? Pikachu-pika pikapika chu pi?" (Ash? Why are you leaving without me?)

"Ash is leaving you with the clan, Pikachu." Silver answered for the boy. "He thinks you'll be better here than with us."

Pikachu's ears rose in surprise.

"Pikachu-kapi?" (What's gotten into him?)

He ran to his Trainer and grabbed his pants.

"Pika!"

Ash was surprised by the gesture.

"Pikachu? Why are you doing that?"

"Pikapika kachupi ..." (I could ask you the same …)

He looked at the clan. From the line came the little Pikachu girl. She quickly ran to Pikachu's side and waved happily to the boy. Lya grinned.

"It seems this little girl developed a crush on Pikachu … and she is willing to leave her family if it means going with him."

Ash was surprised. The Ninetales grinned.

"It was nice being back to the wild for a time. But Pikachu knows how important he is to you. Even the call of Mother Nature wouldn't take him away from you. But that tiny girl was besotted with him so it was a little troublesome to leave. Well, both have made their choice and it is to tag along."

Ash was so happy he couldn't simply spell it. So he did the first thing that came to his mind. He took Pikachu in his arms and hugged her. He then turned to the girl and looked at his friend.

"Welcome in the group! But I already have a Pikachu in my team ..."

"I'll take her then." Brock offered. "I don't have an electric Pokémon and she doesn't look like a fighter."

"Chuchu!" (True that!)

"But we'll need to give her a name to distinguish her from Pikachu."

"Pika kachu ka Chuchu. Kapika chupi." (Then call me Sunflower. It's my True Name.)

Lya jumped.

"You're giving your True Name so easily? Do you only know how important it is?"

The girl nodded. Lya sighed.

"Alright, then. She wants you to call her Sunflower since it is her True Name. But … you know the thing with real names ..."

"We'll simply call her Chuchu." Misty smiled. "It's a nice name."

Brock trapped the girl in a poké-ball. Waving goodbye to the clan, the group went back to their way. They were crossing a forest when wails caught Pikachu's ears.

"Ee … ee ..."

In the hollow of a tree, the group found an Eevee with a necklace and both food and water. The little Pokémon was whining, its ears down. Misty knelt to it.

"What are you doing here, little one?"

Brock frowned.

"Maybe he was abandoned."

Ash instantly flinched at the word.

"Who would do such a thing?"

"There is something on his necklace." Misty noticed.

It was a small golden tag with an address on it: Stone Town, 3-14. Brock looked at the path.

"I know this town. It's located down the Evolution Mountain. It is renowned for producing many Evolution Stones some Pokémon need to evolve."

Ash brought his hand to his badge case. In it was a Thunder Stone Lt. Surge had given him for the day he would make Pikachu evolve. The kid had kept it, knowing he would never use it. On a common accord, the group decided to return the Pokémon. On the way, Ash asked Silver about Eevee.

"Hey, Silver, what do you know about Eevee?"

"Why do you ask?" The man looked at his student. "I think I taught you quite a few things about this Pokémon, right?"

"Right."

"Then tell me what you know and I'll complete the files."

Ash closed his eyes.

"Eevee is called the Evolution Pokémon. It can evolve into different Pokémon depending of the circumstances. When exposed to Thunder, Fire or Water evolutionary stones, it will evolve into Jolteon, Flareon and Vaporeon. But Eevee can also evolve according to the degree of friendship he shares with his Trainer. If he evolves through friendship at day, he will become an Espeon like Espera. If he evolves through friendship at night, it will be into Umbreon."

"That's all?"

"All I remember."

Silver grinned.

"Here's what I know: Eevee's genetic code is unstable, which enables him to evolve in order to adapt to the place he lives in. Eevee can evolve into sixteen different types. The seventeenth type is Normal but Eevee himself is Normal. All evolution requires a different condition. Evolutionary Stones, friendship, Moss and Ice Rock, held item and locations are the five different categories of things that can make Eevee evolve."

Brock smiled.

"Does that mean Eevee can evolve into a Rock or Steel type?"

"Yep. Steel type Eevee is called Steeleon and evolves when holding a Metal Coat. Rock type Eevee is called Jeweon and evolve when holding a Hard Stone. Here, that's what they look like."

Steeleon was a caracal-looking creature whose body was partially metallic. It meant part of its body had turned into steel, such as the muscles of the thigh , the lower part of the fore paws, the upper part of the head and the base of the ears and the tail, who was now completely whip-looking. Plates ran on its back.

"This Pokémon looks very interesting." Brock smiled.

Jeweon's body was made of soft brown rock with a red gem on its forehead, diamond-like claws, eyes like two sapphires, an emerald tail and plates that made a crystalline armor shining under the light. Silver smiled.

"The picture is nice, but nothing can re-transcribe the living beauty of such a creature. Its skin is priceless to jewelers, this is why it is a protected species closely watched over."

The group nodded. They finally reached the place indicated on Eevee's tag, only to see it was a huge mansion where a party was held.

"Hey!" Ash noticed. "There are only Pokémon that evolve using Stones here!"

That was right. Ninetales, Exeggutor, Poliwrath, Vileplume … and a Jolteon, a Flareon and a Vaporeon owned by three boys that were apparently brothers. The three were congratulating themselves when they saw the group.

"Eevee!"

The trio ran to Ash and his friends.

"Eevee! Where were you? We were greatly worried!"

The brother with blue hairs took the creature.

"Thank you for returning our Star. Now the performance can begin!"

Silver raised a brow.

"Performance?"

Before he could be answered, the brother with yellow hairs called.

"Mickey? Mickey, your Eevee is back!"

A boy with brown hairs and a green shirt appeared. Eevee immediately jumped at him, happy to be reunited with his Trainer.

"Thank you. I lost him in the wood." But his face was all but happy.

The brother with red hairs frowned.

"How did you do to lose it? Be careful, otherwise you'll never become a Trainer."

Misty grinned.

"You said you lost it, but we found it tied to a tree in a forest with food and water."

The boy turned to them, angry.

"Why did you bring him back?"

The man with red hairs frowned deeply.

"Listen, Mickey. One day, you'll become a Pokémon Trainer. Do you seriously think you will win on your first try with a simple Eevee?"

"We won our first fights because we made our Eevee evolve." The yellow-haired man said. "Only by making him evolve will you win. Evolution is the key to victory!"

"But … I don't wanna fight ..." The boy shyly said.

" ** _Repeat that !?_** "

Silver winced at the three brothers' tone. The blue-haired man spoke.

"Everyone is very eager to see what Pokémon you will make your Eevee evolve into."

"Yeah. You have three options. In which one do you want Eevee to evolve?"

Ash frowned.

"He doesn't look very at ease."

"I would be too with brothers like this." Brock answered. "But I think the problem is somewhere else."

"Why do they say three when Eevee can evolve into sixteen different Pokémon?" Misty asked.

"Because Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon are the three most common Eeveelutions in Kanto." Silver answered. "Espeon and Umbreon are mostly found in Johto, Leafeon and Glaceon in Sinnoh and the rest is extremely rare, so much that only people like me know about them." He looked at the boy. "I don't think his problem is what we think it is. The 'not wanting to fight' thing is a lie."

He came to the boy.

"Hey, Mickey, can I talk to you a moment?"

The three brothers eyed him suspiciously. Silver answered with one of his famous dark glares. The boy nodded and they went sitting on a bench. The three brothers saw Ash and Brock with Pikachu and Vulpix. The Jolteon brother grinned.

"Hey, kid, I bet you planned on making your Pikachu evolve into Raichu soon."

"And I bet you planned to make your Vulpix evolve into a Ninetales." The Flareon brother told Brock.

Ash and Brock looked at one another before giving one single answer.

"No."

This took the three brothers aback.

"How is it, 'no'?"

Brock looked at Vulpix.

"Vulpix is very important to me. I don't want to force her to evolve."

"And Pikachu made clear he wants to stay as a Pikachu." Ash added. "He's my partner. I respect his choice."

"You idiots! Pokémon are made to evolve!" The three angrily shouted.

"Maybe, but it doesn't mean they should." Ash retorted. "Pikachu defeated Raichu bigger and stronger than himself. He doesn't need to evolve to be strong."

Away, Misty was leaving her Pokémon enjoy the fountain. Bellossom was dancing under the droplets of water. A woman with a Gloom came.

"That's a beautiful Pokémon! How did you get it?"

A Vileplume came and Bellossom started talking with it. Misty smiled.

"I got him as an Oddish. After he evolved into Gloom, I asked him what he would become, knowing he could either evolve into Vileplume or Bellossom. He chose to make me happy and decided for Bellossom. Because he wouldn't gain much at staying as a Gloom, he wanted to evolve quickly so Silver, the mentor of my friend Ash, came to get a Sun Stone and Gloom evolved. Where did he get a Sun Stone however, I have no ideas ..."

The woman smiled.

"I never heard of Sun Stones before. It must be a rare kind of Evolutionary Stone."

Bellossom danced lively. At the same time, Silver came to Mickey with a plate of sweeties.

"You don't want to make him evolve, do you?"

Mickey looked at him.

"My brothers only think about competition. I just wanted to hide Eevee during the party so no one would force me to make him evolve. I would have come getting him back afterward."

Silver smiled and took a poké-ball. Espera came out of it. Mickey was amazed.

"It's beautiful! What is it?"

"What Eevee becomes when his bond with his Trainer become very strong during the day. Espera is an Espeon, a Psychic Eeveelution." The man smiled. "If you keep caring for Eevee without giving him anything to evolve, Stone, held item, a special place such as mountain or forest or a Moss/Ice Rock, Eevee will evolve through the friendship it shares with you. If it happens at day, you'll have an Espeon. At night, it will be Umbreon."

The boy looked at Espera.

"I didn't know there were other Eeveelutions apart from Vaporeon, Jolten, and Flareon. How many exist?"

"Sixteen. You want me to describe them?"

"Yep. Now you got me curious."

Silver smiled.

"I'm not forcing you to evolve Eevee. If you want to keep him as it is, find an Everstone. These jewels can halt the evolution of any Pokémon. Now ..."

As soon as he started the lesson, Ash came to his mentor with Brock and Misty. They were quickly joined by more people who wanted to know more and, eventually, the three brothers.

"Eevee isn't called the Evolution Pokémon for nothing. Thanks to his unstable genetic code, it can evolve into sixteen different Pokémon. The five different ways of making him evolve are the following: Evolutionary Stone, friendship, Rock, held item and surrounding. I feel you already know about the three Pokémon gotten through Evolutionary Stones so I'm gonna skip them. After Stones, friendship is a very natural way of making Eevee evolve. When the bond is strong between Eevee and his Trainer, whether it is day or night will influence on his form. An Espeon can be gotten from strong friendship during daytime. Espera, my big pink cat, is an Espeon. If the bond is strong during nighttime, Eevee will turn into Umbreon." He showed them a picture of a black Pokémon with glowing circles on his body. "Now, for the Rocks. Out there, in certain forests and ice fields, there are special Rocks that emit a radiation similar to Evolutionary Stones. Those Rocks are the Moss Rock and the Ice Rock. When exposed to a Moss Rock, Eevee will evolve into a Leafeon." He showed a pale creature whose body was partially made of leafs. "When exposed to an Ice Rock, Eevee will become a Glaceon."

He showed a pale blue Pokémon with long falling ears covered by dark blue diamonds. People were awed by the creatures. Even the three brothers were stunned.

"How does he know so much?" The Varoreon Trainer asked.

"Because he traveled a lot." Ash grinned.

Silver kept speaking.

"Now, Eevee can also evolve using held items. This method isn't well known across the world, but it exists. Drakeon can be obtained when Eevee evolves holding a Dragon Scale."

Drakeon was a scale-covered fox-like creature with goat horns, long ears and two reptilian wings on his side.

"Holding a Metal Coat, Eevee will evolve into Steeleon."

He showed the half-metallic, half-flesh creature.

"If Eevee evolves holding a Reaper Cloth, he will become a Skeleon."

He revealed a skeleton-looking creature with bits of flesh and skin hanging on it. Its eyes were glowing threateningly.

"Just to tell you, it is considered as one of the most impure Pokémon ever to exist. It doesn't bear the title of Undead Pokémon for nothing ..."

People shivered at the sight. Silver took another picture.

"When holding a Black Belt, Eevee will evolve into a Warreon."

Standing on his hind paws and covered by armor-like boney plates, the creature was still somewhat fox-like.

"And at last, holding a Hard Stone will make Eevee evolve into Jeweon."

He showed the jewel-covered Pokémon. The people were totally under the charm. Silver grinned.

"Now, Eevee can also evolve in accordance to his surroundings. Here, if Eevee evolves in a Mountain, he will become an Aereon."

He revealed a totally white creature whose back was covered with feathers and spotted two curved wings. Its silhouette was very graceful.

"When evolving in an Urban Area, Eevee will become a Grimmeon. Yes, it is called the Gross Pokémon for a reason."

Eevee's body was dark brown and weeping with grime, filth, petroleum and so on. People flinched at the sight. Some of them even shivered.

"When evolving into a Forest Area, this is what Eevee will become: a Swarmeon."

The creature didn't look like a swarm insect. Instead, he looked fairy-like, with his ears replaced by orange butterfly wings, green skin, two antennas and two large butterfly wings with rainbow color in its back. After the hideousness of Grimmeon, it was a sight to see.

"And finally, last Eeveelution, if Eevee evolves in a Desert, it will become a Sandeon."

Sandeon was a fennec-looking creature with a sand-colored fur. In a sandy place, he would easily blend in his surroundings. Silver rose and bowed.

"That's all for today. Hope it will serve you if you get an Eevee later."

The three brothers were impressed.

"That was an amazing lecture. We didn't know Eevee could evolve into so many different forms."

"And it wasn't a full lecture." Silver smiled. "I merely described in what Pokémon Eevee could evolve. In a real lecture, I would have talked more about those evolutions."

He turned to Mickey.

"Now that you know that, do you still want to keep Eevee non-evolved or have you made a different choice?"

Mickey looked at Eevee.

"You said that Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon were most commonly found in Kanto, right?"

"Yep."

The boy grinned.

"Then I'll keep Eevee non-evolved. This way, my brothers and I will really be the Eevee Brothers. The Kanto ones."

"I see." Silver took a round white stone. "This is an Everstone, it will keep Eevee from evolving." He turned to the three brothers. "A Pokémon doesn't need to evolve to be strong. Ash was serious when he said his Pikachu can handle anyone without having to turn into a Raichu. The same way, if Mickey trains Eevee well, that little fur ball will one day rival even your three evolved friends."

The three brothers nodded, accepting the man's declaration. You don't argue with someone who knows that much. The group was invited to stay at the party as guests, especially after learning Misty make Bellossom evolve with a Dawn Stone. They had to part eventually, but not before Ash received a Water, Leaf and Fire Stone as a farewell gift. Following their way, they arrived in a place called Dark City.

"I'll have an Eevee, one day." Ash smiled.

"And in what will you make him evolve?"

"Well, Espeon sounds cool but you already have one. Swarmeon is totally beautiful, just like Jeweon. Leafeon is funny and Steeleon totally awesome, being part metallic. And finally, Aereon is classy."

"So you don't know."

"Yes. But I won't have Grimmeon or Skeleon. They're creepy."

Brock frowned.

"Talking about ghosts, I think we reached a ghost town."

The group looked at the place. The chalk and wooden buildings were ruined and even though it was the afternoon, the streets were empty. Silver looked around.

"This decay isn't due to forsaking. There have been fights here. Violent fights."

"But … why?" Misty asked.

Stones suddenly assaulted them. The group quickly cowered under the barrage. Ash looked around and noticed short silhouettes on the roofs. He growled.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu dutifully obeyed and zapped the offenders. Three kids fell from atop a building into a bundle of straw. This greatly surprised the group. Why did kid behave that way? When asked, one answered.

"You are Trainers, right?"

"Yeah." Ash nodded. "I want to become a Pokémon Master."

"I'm Silver." The man smiled. "I'm Ash's mentor."

Misty grinned.

"I'm Misty. I want to become a Water specialist."

"And I'm Brock." Finally told the elder boy. "I'm training to become a Breeder."

The three children immediately took a stick and went in a defensive position. Silver raised his hands.

"Hey, what's wrong with you kids?"

"If you have Pokémon, go away from this town, quickly!"

"Yeah! We don't want you to cause troubles!"

"We're not troublemakers ..."

"Kids, stop it now!"

The three kids jumped and turned to a man who was wearing a blue apron.

"You must forgive them. They are usually harmless. Come to my restaurant. I will explain everything here."

It appeared that the town, Dark City, was the home of two Gyms, Yas and Kas. Both couldn't stand each other and regularly clashed against one another, slowly reducing the town to ruins. Things became even worse when rumors spread that an inspector from the Pokémon League would come and see both Gyms. The two groups started recruiting Trainers that came in town, hence the reason the children were distrustful of them.

"I see." Ash frowned. "Becoming the official Gym of a town is a privilege. No wonder they fight hard."

"This isn't the only reason." Silver looked at the window and dug in his meat. "With a Gym comes prestige … and money. Being a Gym Leader has a lot of advantages, one of them being to become rich quickly. I wouldn't be surprised it _this_ was the main reason they're fighting."

Sound was heard outside. The restaurant owner froze.

"Here they come! Get upstairs if you don't want to get involved!"

(Play [Rage Awakened](https://youtu.be/yK6lQensS-A), Kingdom Hearts 2)

The group and the kids immediately ran upstairs and watched as the two Gyms ran at one another. The Kas Trainers were wearing a blue outfit with a short red cape and a K on the front. The Yas Trainers had an orange suit under a green jumpsuit and a Y on the front.

"Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!"

"Scyther, Cut!"

The Electric Pokémon and the green mantis-like creature eliminated the opposing ranks, destroying the buildings while they were at it.

"And it's like this everyday?"

The three kids nodded. Ash sighed.

"They call themselves Gym Leaders but they don't understand what it is to be a Trainer."

Silver turned to him, a malicious grin on his face.

"Feel like teaching them a lesson, kiddo?"

Ash grinned and checked his team. Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Charmander, Squirtle, Poochyena and Haunter. He looked at the two fighting Pokémon.

"Sure thing."

A loud crash was heard downstairs. The group came out, only to see a familiar trio threaten the poor owner.

"So you don't want to serve us because we belong to the Kas Gym?"

"M-my restaurant… is a neutral… p-place. I-I-I don't… serve any..."

"We heard enough! Arbok! Wheezing! Take care of him!"

Ash reacted in the moment.

"Poochyena, go!"

The little canine jumped out of her poké-ball and bit violently Arbok's tail. The purple snake jerked violently in pain. Poochyena then swung him to Wheezing and finished the two with an Iron Tail. The two Pokémon came crashing into Team Rocket. Misty grinned.

"She's getting good!"

Finally, the girl summoned a sphere of dark energy, causing Ash to wince.

"Miss or hit?"

Hit. The Shadow Ball struck Team Rocket with strength, causing them to blast out of the restaurant straight under the nose of the two Gyms. The two leaders turned to the place, only to see Ash and his friends get out through the dust. The face of the boy was menacing.

"Stop it at once!"

The two groups turned to the boy surprised. Ash looked at the Gym Leaders.

"You two don't deserve to be called Gym Leaders. I have challenged many Gyms before coming here. The two of you have nothing to them, at all." His eyes became hard as stone. "Leave this place. Your fighting has caused enough pain as it is."

The two Gym Leaders were speechless. Here was this young greenhorn coming out of nowhere, telling them to fuck off because he disagreed with their actions! The guts of that punk! Their reaction was just as Ash hoped. The leader of the Yas Gym was the first to react.

"Scyther, Fury Cutter!"

Ash took a poké-ball.

"Pidgeotto, here you go!"

The bird Pokémon took flight right under Scyther's nose. Ash gave his order.

"Pidgeotto, Air Slash!"

Pidgeotto focused energy and generated two blades of air that cut hard in Scyther's insect body.

"Then use Aerial Ace!"

Scyther had taken flight too. It was its downfall. Maneuvering dextrously, its opponent disappeared, only to come out of nowhere and crash into the Bug Pokémon, sending it pummeling to the ground. Ash cheered.

"Take that."

Silver grinned.

"Alright, Pidgeotto is a powerhouse. But when will he evolve, I wonder."

The Yas Leader couldn't believe it. Not only the boy was a total stranger but he also defeated Scyther! The Yas Trainers started to back up, worried. The Kas Leader growled.

"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch on that big bird!"

Ash was faster.

"Pidgeotto, return! Pikachu, here you go! Iron Tail!"

Pidgeotto disappeared in a red light. Jumping from the boy's side, Pikachu ran at the black and yellow Pokémon and homed a powerful blow in its legs. Electabuzz fell over, allowing Pikachu to get on it and unleash a powerful Thunder at point blank range. Not having the Lightningrod ability, the creature was fried to a crisp. The two leaders remained silent for a moment.

"Everyone on him!"

The next second, every Trainer from both Gyms were running at Ash. Misty snarled.

"Don't you dream of it!"

She took her poké-balls, releasing Staryu, Starmie, Psyduck and Bellossom. Brock was next to release Onix, Geodude, Zubat, Chuchu and Vulpix. Finally, Silver released his own Pokémon. This stopped the fighters dead in their track. Misty grinned.

"Bellossom, Petal Dance!"

Bellossom gladly danced as swirls of pink petals flew to the Trainers. Brock grinned.

"My turn! Zubat, Supersonic!"

Zubat obliged and emitted sound waves that assaulted the people's ears. Silver nodded.

"And finally, Odin, Sheer Cold!"

The Articuno nodded and breathed sub-zero cold air, freezing all but the two leaders. Silver crossed his arms.

"Who's the boss now?"

(End music)

"Certainly not them."

The group turned, surprised. It was someone wearing a long brown coat, sunglasses, a hat and had his face hidden. Grinning, the person took his outfit out, revealing a Nurse Joy.

"I am Amanda Joy. I was commissioned by the Pokémon League to inspect the two Gyms of Dark City. Here is my decision: none of you are allowed to have a Gym, much less stay in this town. You and your men are to leave Dark City right now."

The two men were about to retort but the simple sight of the group and their Pokémon glaring maliciously at them was enough to cause a scare. They ran without looking back. The nurse turned to the group.

"Thank you. I don't know if Dark City will have a Gym one day, but I hope its Leader is more like you than them."

"No problems." Ash answered happily. "We do it all the time."

As a thanks, they were allowed to stay for free in town for as long as they wanted. They used this time to rest a little and train. Poochyena, by having mock-fights with other kids, grew stronger faster than Ash anticipated. Her aim became way better and she even learned some new tricks. Finally, the foursome left the town and went back on the road. During an event in a small town, Charmander finally evolved into Charmeleon, much to the boy's pleasure. However, Silver couldn't help but be worried. Charmeleon's level was high and high-level Pokémon tended to disobey their owners. So he decided to keep a close eye on the Pokémon, anticipating any change of behavior.

He was right.


	14. Charmander rebels

I've told you this once before, you can't control me  
If you try to take me down, you're gonna break  
I feel you're every nothing that you're doing for me  
I'm thinking you outta make your own way

I stand alone inside  
I stand alone  
[I stand alone](https://youtu.be/tczU6OWoUkI), Godsmack

As Silver feared, upon evolving into Charmeleon, the Fire Pokémon became way less tame. When they tried to help a girl into evolving her Paras, Charmeleon downright refused to obey, going as far as throwing fire to Ash's head. They still managed to make Paras evolve after the poor Bug Pokémon tried to defend himself from the flame reptile, but it became clear that Charmeleon was rebellious to his Trainer's authority.

They stopped in Neon City, the Never-Sleeping town, famous to be a place where people were always busy day and night. However, a side effect was that they were all in a bad mood and had short temper. So they spent one night here and left. Crossing the forest around, they saw a Jigglypuff standing on a stump. She seemed worried. The group came to her.

"Hey girl, are you alright?"

The pink ball looked at them and lowered her eyes in shame.

"Looks like she isn't." Brock remarked.

He knelt to her level.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Jiggly jigjig puff jiggly, puffjiggly jigglyjiggly jig."

"Translation?"

"She has a bad throat ache that prevents her from singing, which is her favorite hobby." Lya answered.

"Jiggly jigjig, puffpuff jiggly jiggly-jigglypuff."

"And it comes without saying she just thought of a new song she wants to try."

"Talk about bad timing." Misty sighed.

Silver nodded.

"You said it."

Ash looked around.

"I think I saw a Lum Tree around. Lum berries can cure status ailments, right?"

Silver's eyes lit up.

"Exactly. Looks like you remembered your lesson well."

"Heh, I've had a good teacher."

The boy went and took one of the green fruits. He quickly came back with his prize. Jigglypuff gladly ate the fruit and took long breaths, happy to feel no more pain in her throat.

"Jigglypuff!"

Silver smiled.

"Jigglypuff are known for having voices that easily put people asleep. I'd be careful if I were you."

Jigglypuff started to sing. It was a soft, soothing lullaby, that brought a deep sense of peace and serenity and made you feel like you were rolled in soft and warm satin blankets. The group closed their eyes to enjoy the song … and fell asleep without even noticing it. When they awoke, the pink Pokémon was glaring daggers at them.

"Jiggly! Jiggly'jigglypuff!'

Ash rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry, Jigglypuff. This song was so appeasing, we really couldn't help but fall asleep."

"Jiggly puffpuff!"

Lya grinned and yawned.

"She is still mad that you didn't hear it full."

"Mission impossible." Silver sighed. "Jigglypuff voices are more efficient than sleeping weed. But I think I know a place where we could put this voice to use ..."

Misty grinned.

"Neon City's people hardly get some sleep. I wonder what it would be if Jigglypuff went and sang here."

The group had an evil grin. Silver took some ear plugs.

"This should prevent us from hearing Jigglypuff's song and get sleepy."

Ash raised his fist.

"Let's do it!"

They returned to Neon City, the Balloon Pokémon with them. Here, they set a stage and had her sing her song. The entire town fell asleep. While she sung, Silver immersed himself in the wefts of Power.

"What are you doing?" Brock asked.

"I'm looking for the reason Jigglypuff put people to sleep so easily. It's the first time I see a Sing attack so powerful."

Ash looked at his mentor. The man hardly did it, but when he did, his eyes would glow lightly, maybe from Aura. The man looked at the Pokémon for a moment before grinning.

"I get it."

He turned to the others.

"Jigglypuff has no control over her powers. She can Sing, that's for sure, but she can't control it so it always put people asleep when they hear it."

"Is there a way to help her?" Ash asked.

The man nodded.

"Yes. Training."

Ash smiled. Once Jigglypuff was done, he came to her.

"Jigglypuff, we have figured out why you always make people fall asleep. It's because you don't control Sing."

The Pokémon looked down.

"Jiggly. Jigglyjiggly puffpuff jiggly-puff." (Too bad. I wish people could listen to my songs.)

The boy extended his hand.

"With some training, you'll be able to master your attack in no time. How about you come with us?"

Jigglypuff looked at them a moment then nodded and came to Ash. The boy grinned.

"Alright. Time to make a few shifts."

At the local Pokémon Center, he sent Haunter and Squirtle at Oak's lab and called Tyrogue back. Despite the amount of damages taken, the brave little Fighting type had perfectly recovered and was eager to start training again. Silver grinned.

"Now that I think of it, Tyrogue's main ability is Guts, but he also has something called Hidden Ability that remains latent until awakened. It only appears under special circumstances before becoming a second ability, and I remember Tyrogue's Hidden Ability is Vital Spirit, which prevents him from falling asleep unless he wants to."

Ash, who had happily greeted Tyrogue back, looked at him.

"What do you think of it, Tyrogue? Jigglypuff doesn't control her Sing yet, but she really wants someone to listen to her song."

(Alright, I'll try.)

So Jigglypuff sang again. Thanks to their ear plugs, the group was immune to it. Tyrogue valiantly stood, trying his best not to fall asleep. They could see him clenching his jaws as he fought under the soporific effect of the lullaby. Finally, his body glowed red and he raised his head. Silver smiled.

"That's it."

Indeed, once the light faded, the young Pokémon had no troubles resisting the attack. He giggled.

(That was a nice song! Very beautiful! It reminds me what mom would sing to me back home when I was scared.)

Jigglypuff raised a brow. Ash face-palmed.

"Right, Jigglypuff isn't used to sign language yet."

He quickly captured the Pokémon, who was more than willing to follow them for what they had done. Not only someone finally listened to her songs, but she would also learn to sing without putting people asleep! What was there to ask for more? Their path took them to Grandpa Canyon, a place renowned for its fossils. Silver grinned.

"Want to go fossil hunting? Just for fun."

The group eagerly nodded. They were about to go when someone called them.

"Hey, if it isn't Ash and his friends! Where are you going? Certainly not at Grandpa Canyon."

Ash froze.

"Gary … It's been long."

"And what if we _are_ going to Grandpa Canyon?" Misty retorted. "It isn't a restricted area."

Silver raised a brow at Gary's clothes. He looked like Indiana Jones with his brown adventurer outfit. The whip had been replaced by a pickaxe but, that apart, the likeness was close enough. Ash crossed his arms.

"We're going to Grandpa Canyon looking for fossils. And before you say anything, I don't want to compete with you. I'm here to have fun, that's all."

Gary clenched his fists and frowned.

"I don't like at all the tone you're using with me, Ashie-boy. Have you forgotten who came late to get his Starter and almost had none? Besides, I have more Pokémon and badges than you do."

"Have you forgotten who owned you during our last battle and saved your life in the forest? Without me, those Mankey would have killed you."

Gary growled. He didn't forget the humiliation Ash gave him at the dam. That it was in public only made things worse.

"You'll see. I'll find a fossil so awesome that you'll beg to have the same!"

Ash growled and turned away, heading to the canyon.

"I don't care. That I find a fossil will be enough to make my day."

Silver nodded and rubbed the boy's head.

"You're growing up."

A lot of people were digging in the area. So far, few were successful. Brock frowned.

"They are all digging at the same place. If we look somewhere else, we may have more chances to find fossils."

They went away from the main digging site and quickly heard voices … familiar voices that said they had placed a bomb to blow up the canyon so not to exhaust themselves in digging. The group froze.

"Team Rocket … not again!"

Ash looked around and took a poké-ball.

"Pidgeotto! I need you to find a bomb in this part of the canyon! Hurry up!"

Understanding the emergency of the situation, the bird looked around. Ash and the others quickly dispatched their Pokémon while looking themselves for the dangerous device. Poochyena finally found it in a cave and howled to call her Trainer. Ash went to her side.

"Well done, Poochyena!"

"Wait a minute, twerp!"

Ash growled. Sure as the Reverse World, Team Rocket was here, with Arbok and Wheezing ready to attack. The hostilities started immediately. Because of her inexperience, Poochyena couldn't fight on her own yet and relied on her Trainer to command her, a problem Ash's other Pokémon didn't have.

"Poochyena, Bite!"

"Arbok, Poison Tail!"

Poochyena jumped out of the way and straight at the base of Arbok's neck. The Bite attack made Arbok jerk in pain … and hit the bomb with his tail. The effect was instant. A loud boom was heard, causing the rest of the group to come. All they found was a pile of rocks covering the entrance of a large crack in the ground.

"What happened here?" Brock asked.

"It seems the bomb blew up." Misty shivered.

Silver closed his eyes.

"Ash is in a cave whose entrance is covered by the rocks. Team Rocket and Poochyena are with him."

Pikachu gasped.

"Pikapi!"

He started digging furiously. The group quickly followed him and dug in the rocks. Down the cave, Ash and Team Rocket had awakened … but they weren't alone. A group of strange Pokémon were glaring at them with angry bloodshot eyes. Checking his Pokédex, the boy learned they were Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto and Kabutops. All of them were ancient Pokémon thought to have disappeared a long time ago. Well, when they angrily attacked the group, they were rather lively. Poochyena, Arbok and Wheezing tried to retaliate but their attacks were not that effective, especially with the Pokémon's hard skin. Even Ash, who was protecting himself using capoeira and taichi-chuan had a hard time. He dodged a Rollout from Omastar, ducked under a Kabutops's scythe, kicked a Kabuto and an Omanyte away and crouched to avoid the Water Gun from two Omastar. Suddenly, the prehistoric Pokémon stopped and looked around. A whining, threatening sound echoed in the cave. The next second, the Pokémon were off. Jessie and James sighed.

"This is a miracle!"

"I wouldn't be so sure ..." Ash frowned.

He was right. From the shadows emerged a pterodactyl-like creature that came straight to the boy. Before he could jump away, Ash was caught by the Pokémon's claws. Poochyena growled and jumped. Her fangs bit in the Pokémon's tail, enabling her to rise up to the surface.

Up there, Silver and the group were digging. The rocks were suddenly pushed away and the creature flew away, hitting Charmeleon in the process. The red Fire Pokémon glared at his offender. Silver's eyes widened.

"That's an Aerodactyl! And it has Ash in tow ..."

Poochyena jumped by Silver and growled at the beast. How dared it harm her beloved Trainer? She rattled the ground, fangs bared. Charmeleon breathed fire to the flying Pokémon as a challenge. Aerodactlyl merely laughed. Neither Pokémon were airborne. He had no reasons to fear them. Charmeleon, pissed, started to glow. When it faded, he was now a Charizard, an orange fire-breathing dragon with a fiery tail and a very bad temper. Aerodactyl raised a brow. Charizard breathed fire again, but it was way hotter. He extended his wings and roared threateningly. Ash looked at his Pokémon with worry. Charizard didn't seem any less wild as he was as Charmeleon, and he seemed more powerful. Nothing good in perspective. Aerodactyl took flight, soon followed by the orange dragon.

(Play [Esper Battle](https://youtu.be/rVYHhcYWttY), Final Fantasy XII )

A race started between the two. Both were fast and agile in the air. Charizard breathed Flamethrower on Flamethrower. Suddenly, Aerodactyl turned and unleashed Stone Edge. Charizard dodged each rock and his body glowed red. Lya's eyes widened.

"It's Flare Blitz!"

Charizard crashed in Aerodactyl who released its prey. Ash fell on the ground in a heavy crash. Misty ran at his side with Pikachu.

"Ash, are you alright?"

The boy growled and rose.

"More or less."

In the sky, Charizard and Aerodactyl were clashing furiously. The prehistoric Pokémon suddenly used Supersonic. Charizard jerked in pain before his whole body glowed red. He then struck furiously his opponent with his wings, tail, claws, head. Aerodactyl wasn't prepared to this onslaught and was defenseless against the fury of the dragon Pokémon. Silver froze.

"No ways … it's Outrage! Everyone hides!"

Charizard unleashed a Dragon Rush that sent Aerodactyl crashing to the ground. Now defeated, one could think the Fire type would calm down. Dream on it. Supersonic and Outrage made a deadly combination that drove Charizard berserk, sending him on a rampage across the area. Flying around and roaring, the Pokémon breathed blasts of fire that caused endless destruction. People ran to hide, doing their best to escape the wrath of the creature. Gary wasn't one of them.

"God dammit, Ash! Why can't you control your own Pokémon?"

He took a poké-ball.

"Blastoise! I need you!"

The huge turtle appeared. Gary showed him Charizard.

"Hydro Cannons!"

Charizard nimbly avoided the attack and Dragon Rushed at the Pokémon, knocking it in one swift move. Gary was forced to take hiding too. Up on a mesa, Ash looked at the damages caused by his battle-crazy Pokémon. The police forces who tried to stop the orange dragon were powerless. The boy glanced at Aerodactyl, who was whining near him.

"You're hurt too, right?"

The ancient Pokémon nodded weakly. Ash extended his hand. Aerodactyl softly touched it and nuzzled it. Ash rose slowly.

"I must stop Charizard. He's my Pokémon. He has to listen."

Silver frowned.

"Take care, kid. In this state, anything can happen."

Ash nodded and got down the canyon.

"Charizard!"

The Fire Pokémon turned to his Trainer and roared. Ash came to him.

"Charizard, calm down now!"

The Pokémon roared furiously and breathed fire. Ash jumped aside and faced him, arms open.

"Charizard, calm down! You don't need to fight anymore!"

Charizard answered with an Iron Tail his Trainer also evaded.

"Charizard, please, you have to listen!"

The dragon Pokémon really didn't want to. He took a rock in his claws and threw it at the boy who ducked just in time. He didn't see the fireball heading straight his way but he felt it colliding with him. It sent him crashing on a wall. For Charizard, it was like a signal. He started attacking his own Trainer, beating him with all the attacks he had. Ash gasped in pain, unable to make any sound. A Dragon Claw drew a large red line on his side, finally earning a cry of pain. Silver yelled.

" _ **ASH!**_ "

He prepared a huge Ice Aura Sphere when Charizard headbutted his Trainer with Frustration. Ash jerked, blood flowing from his mouth. Before Silver could launch his attack, he grabbed the Pokémon's horns and started humming a tune. Misty's eyes widened.

"That's Lugia's Song!"

Lugia's song … the holy song respected by all Pokémon. Those who heard this song had to stop what they were doing and listen to what the singer had to say. Even a bloodthirsty Charizard would freeze upon hearing it. That's exactly what happened here. Ash caressed the Pokémon's muzzle.

"Here, Charizard, calm down. You have won. There's no reason to fight anymore. Rest now."

(End music)

The soft tone brought memories back to the fire dragon's head. Memories of the time where he was a Charmander and Ash would always praise him and give him soft words, memories of how he was saved by the boy, of the countless victories they had together. The red aura over him faded and he returned back to normal. Dismissing his attack, Silver jumped at his student's side, quickly followed by Pikachu. Ash was lying among broken stones, blood spilled everywhere, a deep wound all along his side, and cuts and bruises everywhere else. Charizard looked at his Trainer and guilt washed over him. Pikachu nuzzled his friend several times but it was in vain. Ash was unconscious… and dying. The electric mouse turned to the orange dragon and sparkled his cheeks threateningly while sending him a death glare.

Silver shook his head.

"This is bad. From what I can feel with Aura, he has serious internal damages and he's losing blood fast. If nothing's done, he's done for."

An ambulance quickly came alongside several Nurse Joy. Silver took a poké-ball.

"Charizard, return. Now."

The Pokémon obeyed. The nurses carried Ash on a stretcher and put him inside the vehicle. Gary joined the group.

"That was close. If Ash didn't stop Charizard, things would have become a disaster."

"But now Ash's life is endangered. His injuries are of utmost seriousness. In fact, chances are that he won't survive. We're lucky that Officer Jenny had called the casualty department beforehand. They came just in time."

Ash was carried away to the closest hospital. His friends arrived after awhile, having ridden on Blitz and Arcanine. When Silver asked for Ash's state, the doctors weren't so optimistic.

"He was sent in intensive care. According to our first results, he has several broken bones and internal deficiencies, as well as inner and outer bleeding. What happened to him?"

Gary frowned.

"His Charizard went in a rampage after being hit by Supersonic. Ash tried to stop him but Charizard used Outrage and went out of control. I still don't know how he stopped him."

"Lugia's song." Silver answered. "The magical song that stop all Pokémon in his track. Even a berserk Charizard has to stop when hearing it."

He sighed and looked at the place where the emergency room was located.

"Ash … please be safe."

The final results weren't that good. Ash was given an artificial life support after the medics barely saved his life. The boy would survive … but there was no telling how he would be when he woke up … if he ever did. That night, Pikachu confronted Charizard. To say the mouse was pissed was an understatement. He was furious.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"What the hell has gotten into you, Charizard!? Do you see what you've done to Ash!?"

Charizard looked away in shame. Pikachu zapped him.

"Answer me!"

" … I know."

Pikachu started to pace.

"Because of what you've done, Ash almost died! Do you realize the seriousness of your actions? **_You. Almost. KILLED. HIM !!!_** "

Charizard winced. Pikachu wasn't the team's leader for nothing. He, more than any others, had received special training from both Lya and Blitz. Going against him would mean certain defeat, even or him. That's why no one challenged his authority. That and the fact he was Ash's Starter.

"…I'm sorry."

Pikachu raised an ear.

"What?"

The dragon bowed deeply.

"I am sorry. I have done wrong."

"You sure did, knucklehead."

Charizard looked at the sky.

"What will happen now?"

"Depends. Right now, you'll return at the lab and be switched with Bulbasaur. You need some time to cool down. After that, it will depend how things will be. At best, if by Arceus's blessing Ash turns out fine, you'll be staying. But if Ash ends up really bad, you're fired."

Charizard winced. Pokémon under the ownership of a Trainer had to follow strict policies that had become common law overtime. One of them was to never hurt your Trainer. Not only did it give you a bad reputation, it also led to severe punishment going from physical pain to pure and simple release. No Trainer knew that, though. It was a thing only Pokémon shared. Charizard had just committed one of the worst forms of Trainer Harming: he had sent him in a coma. So, as the team leader, Pikachu had to issue a sentence. Charizard looked down.

"I wasn't myself. When he used Supersonic, it made me confused and I ended using Outrage to beat him. I didn't think things would turn out like this."

"You didn't think?" Pikachu's cheeks sparkled with anger. "Of course you didn't, you stupid son of a Slowpoke! You trashed the canyon and sent dozen of people and Pokémon to the hospital! And I don't talk about the damages you've caused! How could you… How could you turn from a docile and happy Charmander into a monster like that? Pokémon is the abbreviation of Pocket Monster. This name comes from the fact we are monsters people carry in their pocket via poké-balls. So far, we were tame enough to be considered creatures rather than monsters. But I can promise you this: if there's someone on this Palkia-forsaken land who deserves to be called a Pocket Monster, it's you! You're literally a monster!"

Charizard didn't know how to behave under the serious scolding his superior was giving him. He closed his eyes.

"Alright, I understand." He held his tail before him and put a claw on it. "I swear on Reshiram, the Dragon of Truth, that I will never use Outrage again unless I am in a do-or-die situation. If I break my promise, may the Vast White Dragon come himself and extinguish the flame of my tail."

Pikachu almost jumped. A promise made on Reshiram was considered sacred beyond words. Only death awaited those who broke such an oath. And, at time, it was the only way to break it. Yet Charizard swore on him that he would never use Outrage again unless he had no option left. Now this was something serious.

"Charizard… do you realize the solemnity of your words? If you break that promise, I'll have to kill you myself."

"I know and I did it on purpose. You are the only one strong enough to stop me. If things turned bad and such a situation went to occur again, I am counting on you to do what must be done."

Pikachu frowned.

"Alright, I accept. As the team leader, such responsibility falls on me. I forgive you, but it's only because of that promise… and you'll still get fired if Ash cannot remain a Trainer once he wakes up."

The dragon nodded.

"So, this is it. I will return to the lab in exchange for Bulbasaur until Ash wakes up. If he can remain a Trainer, I stay. Otherwise, I am released."

"You got that right."

Charizard took his poké-ball and returned inside. Pikachu then came to Silver and gave it to him. The man nodded.

"A wise decision, Pikachu. You're growing more and more into your role as a leader."

The electric mouse sighed.

"Believe me, it isn't easy."

"Sure thing." Lya smiled.

(Auto-translator: OFF)

Silver did the switch and instructed Oak to keep Charizard from any form of actual fighting. When he asked what happened, the professor almost regretted his decision.

"Great gods! It really went this way? My, Delia is going to be so upset… So now, Ash is in a coma and no one knows when he will wake up?"

"Yes. I intend on training his Pokémon so they don't fall too far behind and are ready to go when he wakes up."

"If he ever does."

"He has to. He really does." ( _Otherwise I'm dead, and I'm not the only one._ )

They ended the conversation and Silver returned with Misty, Brock and Gary.

"What are we going to do now?" The girl asked.

"Whatever you want." Silver sadly answered. "There's no telling when Ash'll wake up."

Brock frowned.

"I'm staying. The four of us went to far together for us to leave him like this."

"But you can't stay idle for god-knows-how-long. And neither can Misty."

The girl grinned.

"We'll use this time to train. It's nice to settle after having journeyed across Kanto for over eight months."

"Well, then I'm going to continue my own journey."

The group turned to Gary.

"Ash made a mistake with Charmander's training and now pays the price. So while he's asleep recovering, I am going to continue and get even better than he could be under your tutelage, Silver." His eyes narrowed to the adventurer. "He and I have a score to settle. That time at the dam, he should have never beaten me. I'm going to work to make sure it never happens again."

On this, he left the place. Misty sighed.

"What has gotten into him?"

"I never found out." Silver admitted. "He and Ash had an argument one day that ended very badly. Ash didn't tell me what happened, but he came back to me with more tears in his eyes than I had ever seen. He asked me to teach him all I knew, so I guess Gary seriously offended his pride to the point he was almost broken. It's from that day that I took my role as Ash's surrogate father seriously. Gary had Professor Oak to serve as a mentor and reason to boast around. Ash had nothing, only his mother. So I decided to raise him the best I could so he could rival Gary when they became Trainers. In a way, Ash is a self-made-man, someone who raised his power from scratches."

Brock nodded.

"I understand. Ash and Gary don't share the same background, but they share the same goals. That's what makes their rivalry so deep."

Silver nodded without really thinking. He took three things from a bag.

"I found this while they were taking Ash away."

There was a fossil that looked like a sea snail shell and another smooth trilobite-like fossil. The last item was a white egg with blue and red triangles on it. Brock's eyes widened.

"That's a Helix and Dome fossil!"

"Yep." Silver nodded. "Do you know what they do?"

"They are the remains of Pokémon extinct eras ago. There are some at the Pewter Museum."

Silver nodded.

"Those creatures are extinct, but they can be brought back. When they do, they will become the Pokémon known as Kabuto for the Dome Fossil and Omanyte for the Helix fossil."

Misty raised a brow.

"Kabuto and Omanyte?"

Silver showed them pictures of the Pokémon and their evolutions, Kabutops and Omastar. The two ex-Gym Leaders raised a brow in interest. The ex-adventurer grinned.

"I knew you'd like it. Even though they have both the same double-type, Kabuto are more Rock-oriented while Omanyte are more Water-oriented. I was thinking about giving the Dome Fossil to Brock and the Helix Fossil to Misty, but I'll let you choose."

Brock shook his head.

"You don't have to. Thank you, Silver. I'll take the Dome Fossil."

The man nodded and let the two teens take their prize. Misty then eyed the egg.

"What is it?"

"A Togepi Egg. Until it hatches, I suggest all the group takes care of it. After that, we'll let this newborn choose its parent."

Misty nodded.

"Fair enough." She then turned to the window. "Even thought it tried to kill him, Ash managed to befriend Aerodactyl. And now, it doesn't want to leave him."

Silver nodded.

"So each of you three get to own a Fossil Pokémon from Kanto. Kabuto for Brock, Omanyte for Misty and Aerodactyl for Ash." Something crossed his mind that made him laugh. "That's fun. The three of you somewhat represent the three elemental spheres like the Weather Trio of Hoenn does. Brock was the Gym Leader of Pewter City and knows a lot about Rock Pokémon. He is also very knowledgeable in various fields, just like the Earth who is said to hold the secrets of the past. In this way, he could represent the Land and the Legendary Pokémon Groudon. Misty is a Water expert and the ex-Gym Leader of Cerulean City. Also, just like water, she is most often kind and a little motherly, but if you anger her, she can be deadly. In this way, she represents the Sea and the Legendary Pokémon Kyogre. Finally, Ash is swift and fast in most of what he does and has an eagerness to learn I have a hard time fulfilling. Furthermore, at the start of his journey, he saw the Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh, who is said to be the Guardian of the Sky. The boy's literally like the breeze. In this way, he represents the Sky and the Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza. Also, look at what Fossil Pokémon you got! Brock had a mainly Rock-oriented Pokémon, Misty a Water-oriented one and Ash got the Flying type."

Misty and Brock looked at one another. They had never thought of this before. Silver yawned.

"Let's get some rest, the day has been long."

The two nodded. Together, they went to sleep.


	15. Decisions, decisions...

Just as I thought it was going alright,  
I found out how wrong when I thought I was right.  
It's always the same, it's just a shame  
That's all.

I could say day, you could say night,  
Tell me it's black when I know that it's white.  
It's always the same the same, it's just a shame,  
That's all.

I could leave but I won't go, though my heart might tell me so.  
I can't feel a thing from my head to my toes!  
Why does it always seem to be  
Me looking at you, you looking at me?  
It's always the same, it's just a shame,  
That's all.  
[That's all](https://youtu.be/bkm3LJTSCWU), Phil Collins

It took Ash two months to wake up. Misty, Brock and Silver remained by his side during this time, all patiently waiting for the young boy to rise. His body slowly recovered back to health and, after a long wait, they were rewarded by seeing their friend's light brown eyes open.

Silver had insisted that the boy was given permanent kinesiotherapy to avoid muscular atrophy, something the hospitals of Kanto weren't used to do. Reluctant at first, they changed their mind after Silver gave them a decent amount of money. This way, even though he would feel weak for awhile, Ash would still recover fairly quickly. And that's what happened, thanks to the boy's naturally strong constitution.

During the time Ash was asleep, Silver took on him to maintain a regular training of all of the boy's Pokémon, making sure they wouldn't fall too far behind. However, he kept Aerodactyl and Jigglypuff's work at a minimum, knowing Ash liked more and more to train his Pokémon himself, without his assistance. Misty and Brock also worked with their Pokémon. Contacting the lab at Cinnabar Island, Silver managed to have the local scientist and fossil expert come and resurrect Omanyte and Kabuto. This gave Misty and Brock some work to do as, just like Ash, they found rewarding to see their Pokémon grow in strength.

Ash growled as light slowly invaded his eyes. Fluttering, he tried to rise, only for a violent pain to flash to his side. He winced and returned to a lying position. A voice welcomed him.

"Finally back from Dreamland, kid?"

Ash weakly turned his head and saw his mentor sitting on a chair.

"…Silver?"

The man smiled.

"How do you feel?"

"Broken..."

The man sighed.

"This isn't surprising at all after the beating Charizard gave you. You're lucky he didn't use Flamethrower or Dragon Breath. Otherwise, you were toast."

Ash frowned. Finally, the events of the Canyon came back to his mind.

"How's everyone?"

"Fine. Gary is back on track, Charizard at the lab to cool down and Misty and Brock are alright. Also, the three of you have gained some new friends. Misty got an Omanyte from a fossil I gave her. Same thing for Brock, except it was a Kabuto. Finally, the Aerodactyl that attacked you changed his mind and joined you. I kept his and Jigglypuff's training to a minimum, knowing you'd like to train them personally. Also, I kept all of your Pokémon in shape, except of course for Charizard. Pikachu made pretty clear that he shouldn't take part in any fight until further notice. Your yellow friend is giving more and more importance to his role as Team Leader. To what I heard, Charizard swore to never use Outrage unless he was in a do-or-die situation."

Ash grinned.

"That's good. I guess… he's no more rebellious now."

"Yep. After the scolding Pikachu gave him, the opposite would have been surprising." He leaned to the kid's ear. "To what I heard, Pikachu almost killed Charizard out of anger. Pokémon are by no ways meant to harm their Trainer and the punishment for doing so is high."

Ash winced. Then, a question made his way to his brain.

"How long was I out? You make it sound as if a lot of time has gone."

"Indeed it has. Two months."

The boy gasped.

"This long? Damn it! Gary must've gotten way ahead of me!"

He tried to rise but the pain on his side struck again. Yelping, he lied down once more.

"Rah… Why does my side hurt so much?"

Silver softly took the blanket off and raised the boy's white hospital shirt. Taking a mirror, he oriented it so the boy could see what troubled him so much. It was a long and jagged scar that ran all over the boy's right side, from down the breast to the half of his stomach. It was still red and softly pulsating. Ash frowned.

"Wow… "

"It was bleeding pretty badly when you were brought here. The nurses stitched it and the stitches were removed two days ago, hence the reason it hurts so much. Don't worry, it will stop aching eventually."

The boy passed a hand on it. Charizard was really mad to hurt him that much… Misty and Brock appeared at that moment, only to see the scar for the first time. The girl winced.

"Ouch, that must hurt..."

Ash sighed.

"You have no ideas."

Brock had a half-smile.

"Don't complain. Girls find scars manly. When they'll know how you got it, they will be completely head over heels for you. And I'll have an unfair competition ..."

While Ash blushed, Silver laughed.

"Ash is too young for that sort of thing. Give him time, Brock."

The dark-skinned teen nodded. Misty came by her friend's side.

"You got us really worried. When they first brought you here, they weren't even sure you would survive."

Ash frowned.

"It was really that bad?"

"More than that. I actually feared for your life, Ash. And it's the first time I did."

The boy frowned. For his mentor to fear for him, things were actually serious. He stayed in bed several more days during which he received the visit of his mother and Professor Oak. The old man was tempted to talk about Gary's progress but, knowing it would only stress his student, Silver managed to make him avoid the subject. After some time, he was able to get out of bed and walk with some help. His Pokémon were very relieved to see him back, especially Pikachu, who wouldn't leave his shoulder. Ash was surprised that Aerodactyl wanted to stay with him but accepted, since he didn't have a Rock Pokémon in his group yet.

However, even though he had mostly recovered, the boy was still too weak to perform his morning routines. As he was watching over his Pokémon, the hospital received an emergency call. An accident had happened and a lot of Pokémon were injured. The local Center was full so the Pokémon were shipped to the hospital where the group was. Problem, the hospital was kinda understaffed at the moment …

Ash looked at his hands.

"Should we try to help them?"

His mentor nodded.

"We should. That should teach you three a thing or two about Pokémon healing."

The doctors and nurses of the place gladly accepted the help of the group. While their Pokémon acted as assistants, the four cared for the Pokémon that were sent to the hospital. Jigglypuff used her Sing to put the most frenzied Pokémon to sleep, but only after the medics were given ear plugs. Also, it quickly appeared that the girl knew Heal Bell. Ash smiled. Having a Healer in his team was definitely going to help him. Haunter was also greatly needed since he knew Hypnosis and Lick. After much time and trouble, the Pokémon were finally fine. The next morning, Ash was totally restored and ready to go. The scar on his side had become a pale line that still stirred but didn't stop him from doing his morning routines or any other form of physical activity. And if things turned bad, well, Jigglypuff had Heal Bell.

The boy set his team and took his two new teammates, Jigglypuff and Aerodactyl, his trustful partner Pikachu, Poochyena, Bulbasaur and Butterfree. The group quickly went back on the road, Ash nervous about how far his rival had progressed and wanting to catch back lost time. As they were heading to a city, they saw a poster of someone missing. It was a young boy that looked strangely like James of Team Rocket. A limousine came from which a butler emerged.

"You say you have seen this boy?"

"Yeah." Ash nodded. "That's James of Team Rocket."

"Fantastic!"

He quickly took them inside the vehicle and explained his problem.

"I am Hopkins, the butler of Mr. and Ms. Morgan. James is actually the only son of one of the wealthiest families of Kanto. However, his parents recently passed away and, if he doesn't marry in twenty-four hours, his inheritance will go to charity."

The limo passed a portal and reached a huge mansion. Misty was awed.

"Well, this is the biggest mansion I have ever seen."

"This isn't the manor." Hopkins corrected. "This is merely the home of young master's favorite pet, Growlie. The real manor is here."

The group turned… and saw the biggest building they had ever seen. Built in white stones in the purest Victorian style, the home of James's deceased parents really fit the image one could have of an aristocrat's home. Silver whistled.

"This place is almost as big as the Temple of Arceus at Cloud City!"

Ash turned to him.

"Cloud City?"

"The city I come from, a huge city originally built by the Ancients among the peaks of the Cornerstone of the Sky, a mountainous chain that goes through my home country."

Hopkins led them inside. In the entrance room were two coffins set on a bed of white flowers.

"Now, all that remains is to find James and bring him there."

Silver frowned and got near the two wooden chests. If his Aura senses weren't mistaken … An argument was suddenly heard outside.

"And I tell you I am _not_..."

"Not _what?_ Don't you want to be the richest man of Kanto?"

"It isn't about that! You don't understand!"

"Understand what? That you pay no respects to your parents and turn your back to a huge fortune?"

"There's a reason I ran away from home!"

Silver raised a brow and saw the Team Rocket trio fighting in a bush. He came to them.

"You ran away from home?"

The three were surprised to see the group. They quickly took their composure and chuckled nervously.

"Oh, Ash, Silver, everyone! Long time no see! How have you been doing?"

"Not so good." Ash frowned as he caressed his flank.

Silver looked at James.

"Why are you at odds with your family?"

James looked away.

"Jessiebelle."

The group raised a brow. The man explained.

"When I was young, my parents discovered we were going along quite well, so they decided to marry us. Believe me, this girl is all but likable. As soon as she heard about our coming together, she decided to turn me into a gentleman using rather 'violent' methods. More, she asked me to leave the only Pokémon I really cared for: Growlie, my Growlithe pet. Because I couldn't stand it, I ran away from home. I left Growlie here so he would be treated nicely everyday."

Silver nodded.

"So long thing short, you chose freedom over money."

"Yes."

"She's really that bad?"

James sighed.

"You have no ideas. Egoistic, tyrannic and a little crazy on the edge! And I don't talk about her habit of wanting to teach me manners with a whip!"

Silver's eyes widened. With a swift move of the wrist, he unlocked the door of the dog house. From it emerged a cute Growlithe that jumped at James. Surprised by the man's gesture, Silver explained.

"For having had a similar background, I understand how you feel. I, too, come from a powerful family. After my parents divorced, I ran away from home to discover the world and left everything behind. So far, I don't regret my decision." The man smiled. "Money can buy a lot of things, but I understand why some people prefer freedom to it. If someone took my freedom away, I would and will definitely die. Besides, freedom is power too." He came to the man. "This whole setting is a lie. Inside the mansion are two coffins. Your parents are waiting inside… and they are alive. That thing is a trap, and you were about to run straight into it."

James sighed.

"I knew it. Thank you, I owe you one."

Silver nodded.

"Keep Growlie with you. Trustful friends are hard to come by."

The man nodded. Seeing their plan was busted, Mr and Ms Morgan came out, soon followed by a girl that looked a lot like Jessie.

"Not so fast!"

Ash's eyes widened. He turned to the Rocket Trio.

"Run! We'll hold them off!"

"But don't forget you owe us one for this!" Misty warned.

The trio nodded.

"We won't forget! We promise!"

The group of four turned to James's family.

"Give me back my James dear!" Jessiebelle wailed-ordered.

"No can do!" Ash answered.

Angry, the woman took a Vileplume and an Ivysaur out. Ash grinned.

(Play [Walk of Life](https://youtu.be/4HWswiP0sJY), Rayman 2)

"Time to try my new teammates! Come out, Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff!"

The prehistoric Pokémon came out, roaring. The family quickly backed up.

"What is this monster?" James's mother asked. "Vulpix, Meowth, come out!"

Misty growled.

"Not so fast! Bellossom, Omanyte, here you go!"

James's father frowned.

"You won't get away so easily! Nidorino, Vaporeon, get out!"

Brock took his poké-balls.

"Kabuto, Zubat, go!"

Hopkins sighed.

"To think you could actually help us … Pikachu, Raticate, go!"

Silver shook his head and called for Riyo. The fight started.

"Vileplume, Petal Dance! Ivysaur, Razor Leaf!"

Ash frowned.

"Aerodactyl, Supersonic!"

The flying Rock Pokémon opened his jaws and emitted strong sound waves that not only stopped the incoming petals and leafs, but also confused the two Pokémon. Ash grinned.

"Now! Jigglypuff, Double-Edge!"

Confused and slow as they were, no Pokémon could avoid the pink ball that collided with them. The boy nodded.

"Perfect! And as a finish, Aerodactyl, Rock Slide!"

Aerodactyl's eyes glowed blue and heavy stones fell on both Vileplume and Ivysaur, finishing them. Silver smiled.

"Ash is done. Better get over it."

He grinned.

"Riyo, Focus Blast!"

The young Riolu generated a sphere of blue energy, but it wasn't a sphere of physical energy that appeared in his hands. It was an Aura Sphere. Silver's eyes widened.

"You can manipulate Aura now?"

The blue sphere blasted Pikachu and Raticate without leaving them a single chance. Riyo's body immediately started to glow white and morphed into a greater, different version of his previous appearance. The little Riolu was now a Lucario. Ash turned to the creature.

"So that's what a Lucario is like. Amazing!"

Riyo looked at his paws and grinned.

"I was wondering when it would happen!"

Misty nodded.

"That's great! Alright, let's end this! Bellossom, Solar Beam! Omanyte, Whirlpool!"

The beam of solar energy was entrapped in the swirl of water, lighting it up in a beautiful way. The attack was devastating. When it ended, Meowth and Vulpix were down for the count. Brock grinned.

"That was a nice attack, Misty. Well, let's do it too! Zubat, Air Slash! Kabuto, Smack Down!"

The two attacks hit straight, defeating the two Pokémon for good. The group looked at one another.

(End music)

"Well … that was too short!" Misty grinned.

Ash nodded.

"Yep, too easy. But that was nice. Let's go. I want to find someone who could actually give me a challenge. The last fights I've had … it wasn't even fun, even though I enjoyed seeing what Aerodactyl and Jigglypuff can do."

So they left. True to their word, the Rocket Trio didn't bother the group again. And it was for the best. One night the group was sleeping in a Center, the Togepi egg hatched. The group had taken turns to watch over it and Misty was the one in charge at that moment. So it was under her care that Togepi hatched. There were a few arguments about who would own the little Pokémon, but it was quickly settled when it became clear that Togepi had chosen Misty as his "mother". So, he became hers. Ash didn't really mind, though. His team was large and he didn't exactly know how he would take care of them all, hence the reason Silver was still in his back.

After a hard fight against a Rhyhorn, Bulbasaur's bulb started to glow, much to everyone's surprise. Bulbasaur closed his eyes and gritted his teeth starting to resist. Ash's eyes widened.

"Bulbasaur is resisting evolution, just like Haunter!"

He canceled the operation with his Pokedex, causing his friend to breath in relief. Ash caressed him.

"You don't want to evolve either, do you? Well, if that suits you, it suits me."

"Saur!" (Thanks!)

Silver grinned.

"Looks like I'll have to make a new jewel. How about an armband?"

Bulbasaur nodded. That night, as they were resting at a Center, flowers started to bloom at a greater speed than usual. This awoke Bulbasaur, who started to shiver. Silver felt it and awoke the others.

"Something's happening."

The group immediately rushed outside. In the coolness of the night, the breeze was carrying the scent of a thousand flowers. Silver closed his eyes and shivered violently.

"This night … That's the one. Arceus!"

Ash turned to him.

"Something's wrong?"

Silver closed his eyes.

"Every once in a year, the Bulbasaur of the world gather in a mysterious garden to celebrate life and evolve. The date varies from year to year and the garden itself is never twice at the same place. Tonight is the night."

Ash frowned.

"Every Bulbasaur?"

Misty looked at him.

"You're worried, right?"

"Yes. Bulbasaur doesn't want to evolve and he has yet to receive an Everstone item."

Vines suddenly went and sized Bulbasaur, carrying him away in the bushes. Brock growled.

"Well, some don't agree with him!"

Ash snarled.

"Not a chance!"

He ran after his Pokémon, quickly followed by his friends. Despite their size, Bulbasaur were fast. The race was heated, especially when the forest seemed to magically come to life and attack them. Pikachu growled and rushed with Volt Tackle while Lya incinerated any branch that came to close. Bellossom was helping too with Leaf Storm and Zubat was flying with Steel Wing. After what seemed to be hours, the group managed to jump in-extremist through a closing wall of roots, only to be met by an unlikely sight. There was a giant tree with a hole at the base and hundreds of Bulbasaur gathered around. The tree glowed brightly as its leafs grew greener and stronger. From the hole came a Venusaur. The Bulbasaur immediately bowed before him as the creature roared. Their back-bulb glowed and, one by one, the younger Starters evolved. Silver frowned.

"Here it is. The ceremony is starting."

"A ceremony?" Misty asked.

The man nodded.

"They say that, three thousand years ago, the stability of the universe was threatened by space-time rifts. In order to protect the world, five powerful Ancients traveled the world to close them. There was Troban, the eldest of them, who was able to bind space and time to his will and whose eye became the central star of the All-Seeing Eye. Xande the Rightful was next. Rumor goes that he had power over death itself, but was also gifted with a deep sense of justice. His twin sister was the third Ancient, Dana, who is greatly respected by Grass Pokémon because her powers extended over Life and Nature itself. Word goes that the Legendary Pokémon Celebi is related to her. The fourth Ancient was kind of a troublemaker. His name was Anghra and he was a free-spirit as well as a Fire Aura Master. Finally, the last Ancient was Anghra's twin, Nathea. Though she was the youngest of the five, her powers were second only to Troban, and they were over light."

Silver closed his eyes, getting to the core of the tale.

"During her travels, the Ancient Dana befriended a young Bulbasaur that became her traveling companion. She taught him everything she knew about the mastery of his nature powers, in other words, his Grass type. As they went, the Bulbasaur became an Ivysaur and finally a Venusaur. However, the more Rifts she closed, the weaker Dana grew. Eventually, she met with a Rift she managed to seal but left her powerless. She withered like a flower and died no longer afterward. Venusaur couldn't stand it and let himself die by her side."

Brock frowned.

"That's a sad tale."

"But this isn't the end. Dana had a wand with an emerald on it. Because of the overflow of Grass Aura that occurred in the area, Dana's wand became a tree that absorbed both the Ancient and her companion, making it a part of itself. Rumor goes that Dana placed a part of her soul in the emerald that decorated her wand and, because of this, the Ancient isn't really dead. She's living, although not as a being of flesh and blood. This garden is the place where she fell. It is her Aura that fills the place with life energy and causes Grass Pokémon to grow stronger … as well as Bulbasaur to evolve."

Down the garden, Ash's Bulbasaur was resisting evolution the best he could, something that wasn't amusing Venusaur the slightest. He came to the younger Pokémon and growled.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"You! Why do you refuse to evolve?"

"Because the time hasn't come yet. It is too early."

Venusaur growled.

"Too early? Do you ignore what time of the year it is?"

"No. But I still have a lot to learn alongside Ash. I don't want to evolve, not yet."

This answer didn't please the Venusaur.

"Why you little … You dare to spoil our ceremony out of a selfish desire? Tamed Pokémon … Why did the Ancients allow such a close relationship between our two kinds?"

" _Because it is normal for thinking beings to work together when they share the same space._ " Came a feminine voice from the tree.

The group gasped … and so did everyone else present in the place. The voice spoke again, or rather quoted.

" _The differences between people do not matter if their thoughts unite to build the universe. This is something the Ancients would always say, the motto that ruled their lives. It is on this basis that they taught the Pokémon to control their powers and helped them live alongside of humans. And, unknown to the humans, this is because of this very rule that the modern world came to being, because of the Ancients' knowledge and their influence on the Pokémon._"

The voice was silent a moment, but one could feel it shift from recovering the whole place to focusing on Venusaur.

" _Also, the Ancients believed that every living was free of his acts, thoughts and words. This young Bulbasaur took a decision. It doesn't matter if he spoils the ceremony. He has the right to remain in this form for as long as he wills it to. And I don't exactly see you going against him, not with his Trainer around…_ "

The Venusaur and Ivybasaur froze.

"There are humans… in this place?"

The voice sighed.

" _Does it matter? You're putting to much importance on traditions, Wise Bark. The world changes. Always has, always will. You can either adapt to the changes or disappear … just like the Ancients did. Besides, these humans mean no harm. They were simply worried about Bulbasaur._ "

The old Venusaur turned to the group and so did the Ivysaur-turned Bulbasaur. The voice shifted from Venusaur to Bulbasaur.

" _A courageous one, you are. It isn't always that I see a Bulbasaur courageous enough to challenge the authority of an elder._ "

Bulbasaur was rather intimidated but tried to put his best face.

"I know no elder, only my Trainer. I was born in a Daycare to become a Starter Pokémon but my first Trainer abandoned me and, for a time, I lost faith into the humans. Some time afterward, I met Ash and saw his actions. They brought faith back into me and I accepted him as my Trainer, wanting to try again the life of a fighting Pokémon. So far, I do not regret my actions. Ash is … special. Call it gut feeling but I can sense it. He is understanding and compassionate, contrary to other Trainers I've met. And he knows two of his Pokémon's True Name. In all honesty, if I had one, I would give him mine. But, as a bred Pokémon, I do not."

The voice seemed amused.

" _You speak very highly of your Trainer, I see._ "

"Yes. When he saw that I wouldn't evolve, he agreed to let me stay as a Bulbasaur. He did the same thing for a Haunter that is also in our team."

The voice chuckled.

" _I see. Trainers that respect a Pokémon's feelings are indeed rare. So be it. You have taken a decision that is perfectly acceptable. More, your Trainer is willing to go with it. For this, I will let you stay as a Bulbasaur. And for having the courage to stand for what you believe in, I will make you a very special gift…_ "

A green light surrounded Bulbasaur that gathered on his bulb before passing into him. The Grass Pokémon shivered. The voice felt satisfied.

" _Here. I put into you the knowledge of all the attacks your evolutions can learn. This way, you don't have to evolve to learn them … and so avoid a defeat you would have met if you didn't know the move._ "

Bulbasaur closed his eyes as knowledge rushed into him. There were indeed some powerful attacks. Leaf Storm, Power Whip, Hyper Beam and Giga Impact, Double-Edge, Outrage, Rock Smash … Also, there was an attack that greatly interested the young Pokémon.

"I even know Frenzy Plant? Wow, Ash is going to like that ..."

Frenzy Plant was the strongest Grass-type attack known in the world. Only his final form could hope to learn and master the move. He turned to his Trainer and rushed at him.

(Auto-translation: OFF)

Ash took Bulbasaur in his arms. Lya had translated the conversation and the young boy was more than happy with the turn of events.

"You've become powerful, Bulbasaur! Now, you're as good as Pikachu and Charizard. I can't wait to try those new attacks of yours … We're going to make an amazing duo!"

Pikachu jumped on the boy's shoulder.

"Pikapipi, Chukachu!" (Congratulation, Bulbasaur!)

"Saur!" (Thanks!)

The voice spoke again.

" _Bulbasaur, you said that you didn't have a True Name because of your upbringing, and it saddened you because you would have gladly offered it to your Trainer. I am going to remedy that._ "

A breeze passed through the place, carrying the scent of honey and flowers, but not only. There were two words along, two words only Pikachu, Bulbasaur and Ash heard.

_Vibrant Sapling_

Ash smiled.

"He deserves it."

The voice spoke once more.

" _Silver Nor Shadow, come. I need to personally speak to you._ "

Silver had a half-smile.

"I cannot refuse an order coming from one of the Five Saviors."

Jumping into the garden, he came inside the tree through the hole at the bottom. No one knew what the two discussed about, not even the old Venusaur. But when Silver came out, his eyes were wet. He clenched a hand on his heart, apparently in pain, and turned to the tree. Then, in a breath, he whispered.

"Thank you, Great Goddess, for bringing back hope to me. Hope… that I will one day be free."

Through Haunter's ring had been simple, Bulbasaur's armband was a beautifully crafted silver circle with vegetation patterns and a flower around the Everstone. Bulbasaur proudly wore it as a testimony of his strength and pride of being powerful though non-evolved. As they left the mysterious garden, Ash turned to Silver.

"The voice that spoke, was it Dana's voice?"

Silver nodded.

"Yes. Apart from being a powerful Aura Master, Dana was also one of the five siblings that ruled over the Ancient people. Her powers were close to that of an Alpha-ranked Legendary, and she wasn't even the strongest of the Five."

Ash was silent a moment.

"I wish I could learn more about the Ancients. Dana said that they were at the origin of civilization as we know it."

Silver nodded.

"Indeed that's true. Many documents we found about the Ancients let think that they didn't come from this world. They were offworlders from a faraway place. So far, no one knows why they chose to inhabit our own world. All we know is that Aura appeared at the same time they did, so they most likely brought it alongside them. Also, they were way more advanced technologically than we are, even today. As an example, they could control the power of the sun, the wind and the waves, as well as holographic technology and teleportation, and their long-range communications were far more developed than ours. Finally, they were experts at making airships of all shapes and uses."

The young boy seemed greatly interested.

"Where are they now?"

"Gone. As modern civilization arose, the Ancients slowly disappeared. There's a reason they are called Ancients, after all. But it is on their knowledge and teachings that the actual world was built. Well, enough talk. I told you much more about the Ancients than anyone before."

Ash sighed. The more he traveled, the thicker the mystery surrounding his mentor and father by heart appeared to be. But it didn't matter. One day, he would know. All he had to do was to be patient and Silver's origins would soon come into light...


	16. Team Rocket strikes back

Try and hear me, then I'm done  
'Cause I might just say this once  
Seen this play out in my dream  
It doesn't matter

Tired of giving up the ghost  
Fuck, it's you I hate the most  
Maybe there's no guarantee  
It doesn't matter  
[Ghost](https://youtu.be/YlEb3L1PIco), Mystery Skulls

It had been long since the group didn't have any news from Team Rocket. True to their word, Jessie, James and Meowth had left the group at peace as a thanks for helping James deal with his family. Right now, the group was getting ready for lunch after a day of hard training. Dana's gift, for it was indeed the third member of the Five Saviors that had spoken to them in the garden, had turned Bulbasaur into a monster of strength that could almost rival with Pikachu. Almost. The little mouse was still the strongest. But with the help of Gaya the Meganium, the young Grass-Poison type was making incredible progress. He had mastered Power Whip and Double-Edge in no time and was working on Leaf Storm. He was often sparing with Riyo, who needed to develop his new-found powers as a Lucario.

"Dinner's ready!" Brock smiled.

The group sat on a fallen truck. Brock and Silver were the group's cooks for humans and Pokémon. Thanks to their skills, all of them were perfectly fine and healthy. Ash dug in his plate.

"Wow, that's delicious! Thank you, Brock! Once again, you overdid yourself."

Misty nodded.

"Togepi is really happy. Your and Silver's cooking are great."

Silver nodded.

"Now that I think of it ..." He turned to the bushes. "Why don't you get out and share our lunch, kiddo?"

The group looked at him, then at the bushes. From it emerged a young boy with curly brown hairs, a red stripped shirt, blue shorts and a camera.

"How did you find me?" He asked. "I thought my hiding place was perfect!"

Silver grinned.

"I've got sharp eyes … and Aura Senses. I've been feeling your presence for some time already. And your camera glints slightly under the sun. Now why don't you introduce yourself?"

The boy shrugged and came.

"My name is Todd Snap. I am a Pokémon Photographer. I wanted to snap a picture of this Pikachu, but I don't like it when Pokémon take a stance so I hid in the bushes. I am the greatest photographer in Kanto! Taking pics of Pokémon is my passion."

Silver has a half-smile and gave him a plate of food. Todd took it and sat besides the group.

"I understand your intention." The man said. "But what you did was reckless. The lens of a camera can easily be misunderstood for the barrel of a gun."

The boy froze.

"Really?"

"Yes. It already happened."

The boy had a photo album containing several well-taken shots. One of them caught Ash's eyes.

"Hey, that's Charizard and Aerodactyl fighting!"

Todd smiled.

"Yep. I am the only one to have ever managed to photography a prehistoric Pokémon! It was at Grandpa Canyon, two months ago. I was going around and saw these two fighting so I took my chance and made a photo. Do you know what happened here?"

"Hell yeah." Ash growled.

He took a poké-ball and called for Aerodactyl. Todd almost jumped.

"That's the Pokémon!"

"Yes. He decided to join me after the fiasco ..."

"Fiasco?"

Brock quickly summed up the events that occurred in the place. Ash even showed his still healing scar. The boy winced.

"Ouch. Glad I didn't stay ..."

"You have no ideas. I remained in a coma for two months. And Pikachu almost killed Charizard ..."

The conversation shifted on Todd's hobby. His album held a great collection of pictures showing wild Pokémon in their daily life. Even Silver had to admit the boy was doing a great job.

"So you want to take a picture of Pikachu? Why don't you tag along for some time? This way, you'll get a better chance of getting a good pic of him. Also, I might have something that will interest you."

He took Odin's poké-ball and released the ice bird. The kid couldn't believe his eyes.

"An Articuno? No ways! What did you do to get one?"

"I found him as an egg and raised him. He somewhat sees me as his father, just like Riyo."

Todd laughed wholeheartedly.

"Alright, you win, I'll come with you."

As they headed to Cinnabar Island, Todd asked Ash questions about his life as a Trainer. Simple curiosity.

"Becoming a Pokémon Master is my dream." Ash answered. "The best way to do so is to travel across the region, take on the Gyms, gather the eight badges to enter the Conference, win it, beat the Elite Four and finally the Champion. That's why I'm going after badges. But … Cinnabar Island is far and there is someone, a boy called Gary, who has made his goal to overdo me. And with the two months I took to recover, I'm sure he is way ahead of me now ..."

"Well, I've heard about something. It is called the Pokemon League Admission Exam. Instead of going around to collect badges, you sign up and have to pass a series of exams. If you make it through, you get a free ticket for the League."

Ash had a half-smile.

"Sounds interesting."

Silver grinned.

"Why don't you give it a try? The building isn't too far from here."

This is how the group came to the building. Here, Ash was given number 7 and asked to leave his Pokémon behind. The first exam soon started. It was a test about global Pokémon knowledge, something Silver taught Ash ever since they started living together. In other words, that was easy. The second test was to identify a Pokémon with a part of its body or a silhouette showed. Here again, the boy passed with flying colors. Learning all this stuff had been painful, but his mentor had insisted so much that, even if he didn't want to, the boy knew. And it paid off since Ash found himself in third position from the top. His friends congratulated him.

"Well done, kiddo." Silver smiled. "You did better than I thought you would."

"Thanks. Some questions were hard. I didn't know that Poliwag's spiral changed when he evolved, and the spherical silhouette he first showed was almost impossible to guess."

"That's right." Brock nodded. "Some questions were indeed difficult. A chance you rode a Rapidash once, this way you were able to recognize his tail."

"Yeah. Even Charizard's tail doesn't make a flame that big."

The last test was a Pokémon battle with a set of random Pokémon. A belt was given and you had to fight using the unknown Pokémon it held. The opponent was the examiner. Ash's fight started.

(Play [The man with the machine gun](https://youtu.be/3jho-peCAKs), from Final Fantasy VIII)

"Flareon, here you go!" The elder man ordered.

Ash grinned.

"Let's do it! Go!"

A Weezing appeared. Ash frowned.

"That's not going to be easy. Flareon can turn Weezing's attacks against himself by setting it on fire. Alright, let's avoid attacks like that. What can you do, boy?"

Weezing knew Explosion, Smog, Tackle and Smoke Screen. The boy nodded as a plan formed in his head.

"Flareon, use Flamethrower!"

"Weezing, use Smog while staying clear!"

Flareon set fire to the gas … and was caught by the explosion. Ash grinned. His plan had worked.

"Now, cover the field with Smoke Screen!"

The Poison Pokémon obeyed. Soon, it was impossible to see a thing. Ash gave his final order.

"Tackle!"

Two seconds after, a defeated Flareon flew out of the smoke. The examiner nodded.

"Not half bad. Alright, let's see how you do against Jolteon!"

The boy nodded and took his second Pokémon. It was an Arbok. The man grinned.

"Jolteon, Agility!"

"Arbok, stop it with Glare! Chain with Poison Sting!"

Frozen by the Glare, Jolteon couldn't avoid the volley of poisonous barbs. Ash grinned.

"Finish it with Venoshock!"

Arbok threw a burst of green poison that hit Jolteon dead on. Already poisoned thanks to Poison Barb, he couldn't withstand this blow and fell. The examiner smiled from ear to ear.

"Now that is a promising kid! Very impressive! But can you beat my Vaporeon?"

"Maybe. Third Pokémon, go!"

It was a Meowth. And it knew Pay Day. Ash nodded.

"Vaporeon, Ice Beam!"

"Meowth, dodge and use Pay Day!"

The Pokémon obeyed while a flurry of gold surrounded Vaporeon. Blinded by the light, it didn't see the Fury Swipes coming, much less the final Slash attack. Ash raised his fists.

"I won!"

(End music)

"With flying colors." The examiner congratulated. "That was a very nice fight. The way you have to chain your attacks without giving your opponent time to retaliate is impressive."

Misty cheered and looked around. Some people had grins she found a little too evil for her taste … She was right.

"Great. Now that you don't have any Pokémon in shape, you're going to give them all to us."

The examiner looked at them, surprised. A part of the challengers took off their clothes to reveal black suits with a big red R on them. Brock gasped.

"Team Rocket!"

Silver turned to Todd.

"Find a place to hide! We're handling things from here!"

He took some poké-balls he threw to his pupil. Ash caught them all and released his friends.

"Mister can't fight, but I can!"

"We all can!" Misty angrily said.

(Play [Derezzed](https://youtu.be/F4eccPBFEjE), from Tron Legacy)

She called for her Pokémon, Brock and Silver doing the same. The fight started between the four and the Team Rocket grunts. Despite the advantage in number, the grunts were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer power of the group's Pokémon. However, one of the grunts managed to knock one of Silver's swords out of his grasp when they physically assaulted the four. Riyo, who was clashing with a Marowak, saw it fall nearby. Reacting on instinct, he took it and used it to block the Bone Club the Ground Pokémon was heading to him. To his greatest surprise, the silver blade cleanly sliced Marowak's weapon, leaving the creature weaponless and shocked. Riyo didn't give him him to recover and finished it with Aura Sphere. Silver turned to his Pokémon as the young Lucario was facing a Rhydon. Taking the sword with both hands, the Fighting Pokémon channeled Aura in it and unleashed a blue wave as sharp as the edge of the blade. The Rhydon was powerless. Riyo dived to avoid an Energy Ball, sent a Focus Blast and defeated a Golduck in three swift swings. His Trainer nodded.

"He's doing well for someone who's using a blade for the first time."

Ash kicked a grunt straight in the stomach all the while slamming the edge of his hand in the nose of another.

"Yep. Better than I would."

He ducked under a fist and threw his foot in a leg. The grunts were quickly defeated and Silver held his hand to Riyo.

"Now that you're down, care to return Wind to me now?"

The Lucario chuckled.

"Only if you teach me to use a blade, Master. It was fun."

Silver laughed.

"A sword-wielding Lucario! Why not? Weapons are a little outdated, but this might be quite original. And totally unexpected. Alright, you win. I'll teach you."

(End music)

Todd came out of his hiding place.

"I took pictures of all of you. The photos of you and Ash fighting were great, but I think Riyo's photos will be totally awesome!"

The examiner came to Ash with a small red badge.

"Here. Now you can enter the Pokémon League. Seeing your performance, you greatly deserve it."

"Thank you." Ash grinned. "But I'm going to keep looking for badges. I have only two more to get and besides, traveling is fun. But I'm keeping this one as a memento."

The foursome were quickly on the road again. Their journey was taking them closer and closer to Cinnabar Island. They were walking across a town when they saw an add about a new breeding center held by a brother and a sister called Butch and Cassidy. Misty decided to drop Psyduck here for awhile, to get his eyes fixed. Later on, they were met with familiar faces. Those faces were that of the Team Rocket trio. Ash raised a brow.

"Jessie, James and Meowth! It's been long!"

"You said it, twerp!" Meowth purred.

Growlie barked in happiness as he recognized the group. James caressed him while Pikachu jumped at him and spoke. Silver came to the three.

"How are you doing?"

"Better than we used to do." Jessie smiled. "We were planning of leaving Team Rocket but, after Giovanni had us tell the full story, he decided to rank us as contact agents, people whose task is to join others and deliver messages of all kinds. Giovanni assigned us to be a link between he and you."

Misty raised a brow.

"But isn't Team Rocket an evil syndicate? Why would they involve us in their affairs?"

Silver grinned.

"Because Giovanni is an old friend of mine."

The whole group gasped.

" _ **WHAT!?**_ "

Silver turned to them.

"Remember the time where I challenged Koga and he taunted me about my criminal actions? The child I saved while defeating Team Dark Moon was Giovanni's son, Simon. Ever since, the old man feels indebted into me. We're keeping tabs on each others. As long as what they do isn't too serious, I let him be. But if he crosses the line ..."

"Well, that's the reason we've been tasked with contacting you." Meowth said.

Brock raised a brow.

"Really? What does Team Rocket want?"

James took several pictures showing members of the criminal syndicate, except they were wearing black uniforms instead of white ones.

"There has been an uprising among the group. A certain number of agents rebelled against the Boss's authority, finding him to be too weak for his rank. They are led by four members that call themselves the Four Rocket Admins. Their names are Archer, Ariana, Proton and Petrel."

Silver frowned.

"What does Giovanni wants me to do?"

Jessie frowned.

"We have discovered that Butch and Cassidy are members of the Rebels. The breeding center is a trap set by them to capture easily the Pokémon of others. And so far, it worked."

James clenched his hand.

"I left a Weepinbell I recently caught before remembering those two. When I came back, it was too late. We were planning on sneaking inside to get it back and beat those two, but then we saw you and decided to let you in, since Giovanni tasked us with joining you if needed."

Misty frowned.

"I left Psyduck in that center. If you guys are planning to break into that thing, count us in!"

Ash cracked his knuckles.

"And here we go!"

"Wait a minute, kiddo!"

Everyone turned to Silver.

"Do you guys have any plan?"

"Yes." James answered. "We enter via the back door, we free Weepinbell and we beat these two traitors."

Silver smiled and turned to Todd.

"I have a better plan. Kid over there has a passion for photography. While you guys free your Pokémon, Todd will take pics of the place he will give to officer Jenny. If Butch and Cassidy find us, they're gone. Riyo insisted that I teach him swordsmanship and he's quite eager to try it in a fight. Also, Ash's Bulbasaur has a whole new range of attacks he's just dying to try. But if they don't find us, we leave them the surprise of having officer Jenny confront them. And we lend a hand if needed."

Meowth purred.

"Now that's a plan I like!"

They followed the trio behind the building and sneaked inside. After a little searching, they finally found a dark room. James looked at his pet.

"Growlie, give us some light. But not that much."

The young Growlithe barked softly and emitted a small streak of fire. Silver took a metallic tube and activated it, revealing a glowing blade of white energy.

"Since I lent my swords to Riyo, I have to rely on my energy blades to fight. I also use them as a lamp."

The group walked around the room, Silver giving Todd the light he needed to avoid using a flash. Psyduck and Weepinbell were quickly found. James took a master key from a pocket.

"I always carry one with me. Never knows when it could be useful."

He looked at the cage … and gasped. His Weepinbell had evolved into Victrebell! Looks like the center's reputation wasn't all lie, then. Misty found the cage holding Psyduck and let Meowth use his claws to unlock it. Todd smiled.

"I've got enough proofs to expose them. Just taking that Sandshrew as further evidence and we're good."

"Expose who?"

The group turned to see a woman with long blonde hairs and a man with green hairs facing them. Jessie growled.

"Cassidy … We meet again."

"Jessie. What are you doing here?"

"Why should I tell a bitch like you?"

Silver hissed.

"Hey, watch your language! There are kids in this place."

Butch suddenly saw the man in black.

"Hey, sis! That man with the silver hairs, it's Silver Nor Shadow! The man who eradicated Team Dark Moon all by himself!"

Cassidy turned to him and froze.

"Oh great. Of all the people that had to be sicked to us, it had to be him."

Her voice was weak and she had paled a lot. Silver grinned evilly.

"Looks like I have quite a reputation among your numbers." His eyes narrowed. "I let you choose. Either you surrender peacefully and wait until Todd comes back with the police or you do something stupid like running away or trying to fight and it ends bad for you."

He held his blade at eye level, covering his face with a threatening light. The duo gulped.

"We … we surrender."

"Good. Todd, hush. You three should leave too."

The Rocket trio nodded.

"We'll see each other again. We're friends now, right?"

Ash grinned.

"Sure thing. Good luck on your new job!"

"And good luck in your journey, kid." James replied.

They ran away, quickly followed by Todd who later came back with the security forces. Butch and Cassidy were put in jail and the stolen Pokémon given back to their owners. Ash took a poké-ball.

"I almost hope they tried to fight. Bulbasaur was so eager to try his new attacks … Especially Frenzy Plant."

Brock laughed.

"Your Pokémon are a lot like you, Ash. Always eager to fight."

"A chance Cinnabar Island is nearby." Misty grinned. "You'll have a new badge to add to your collection soon."

Silver frowned.

"We can't rejoice yet. To what Jessie and James said, we're heading into more serious troubles from here on. So far, Giovanni kept his criminal activities low knowing what may happen otherwise. And besides, he owes me one. But a part of Team Rocket has seceded and it looks more violent than the little encounters we've had so far. Now that I think of it, the men who attacked us during the Pokémon League Exam were wearing black uniforms."

Ash frowned.

"Team Rocket is evil. We know it ever since I started my journey." He turned to his mentor. "I'll fight them too. This will make good extra training."

Silver's eyes hardened as he turned to the boy.

"Don't be misunderstood, Ash. Those Rocket Rebels will be nothing like the people we've faced before. Remember the men in black? That's the kind of guys we're going to face."

Ash's eyes hardened the exact same way as Silver's.

"My Pokémon aren't the only ones that can fight, and you're not the only one who wants to fight to protect others. I'm ready for them and anything they throw at me."

Silver couldn't help but sigh.

"Looks like I rubbed too much on you. Well, let's go to Cinnabar and comes what may. What are you going to do, Todd?"

The boy grinned.

"I took excellent pictures thanks to you. I'm going to head into the mountains see if I can find other wilder Pokémon. Good luck, guys."

"Good luck to you too, Snap Kid."

They parted ways on a seaside path, each following his own road. Ash clenched his fist as he walked. At last he would gain a new badge! It had been ages since he won the last one.


	17. Fiery challenges

The colors conflicted  
As the flames climbed into the clouds.  
I wanted to fix this  
But couldn't stop from tearing it down.

And you were here at the turn,  
Caught in the burning glow  
And I was here at the turn,  
Waiting to let you know:

We're building it up  
To break it back down!  
We're building it up  
To burn it down!  
We can't wait  
To burn it to the ground!  
[Burn it down](https://youtu.be/vIOO_7DLr3M), Linkin Park

On the ship that took the group to Cinnabar Island, Ash couldn't help but stand head to the wind, breathing the refreshing sea breeze. Misty was watching her Pokémon swimming among the waves. Omanyte was doing just fine. Brock had left Kabuto out and the little Pokémon was playing besides his comrades. On the deck, Poochyena had befriended a group of children and was playing Frisbee with them.

"Cinnabar's Pokémon Lab is one of the most famous of the world. Many Trainers go there to learn the latest techniques and discoveries regarding prehistoric Pokémon. Also, it was Blaine who came and awoke Kabuto and Omanyte on Silver's behalf."

Ash grinned.

"I can't wait to face him! What is he like?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Silver grinned.

Misty looked at the horizon.

"I also heard that Cinnabar was a great destination for tourists because of its hot springs. There's a volcano here that's still sleeping."

A voice was heard in their back.

"Calm down, girl. You'll all have the chance of taking a picture with me."

Ash froze.

"Please, tell me _he_ isn't aboard …"

Sensing her master's not so happy tone, Poochyena quickly came back to his side and growled-whined. Ash caressed her while Pikachu's cheeks were sparkling. Gary saw the group.

"What? Who let these scums on the ship?"

Silver hissed lowly.

"Gary, watch your tongue if you want to keep it …"

Ash frowned.

"Gary? You're going to challenge Cinnabar's gym too?"

"Gym? What Gym? My poor Ash, it seems your mentor forgot to tell you Cinnabar's Gym has been closed for quite some time. There hasn't been a single Trainer ever since my grandfather was a Trainer himself. No, Cinnabar is a resort island. The people on this ship are tourists, all of them. As for myself, I had enough badges so I decided to take a break. Not unlike what you did. I am surprised it took you so long to wake up. Charizard messed you up that badly?"

Ash growled. He took off his cap and his gloves and removed his white and blue vest. Finally, he removed his black shirt to reveal his chest. The people around gasped at the sight. Gary himself was shocked by the long scar running on the boy's side.

"Yes, he did. Don't forget I was between life and death when they brought me to the emergencies." His eyes narrowed. "Before taunting others, ask yourself what you would have done in their shoes. I didn't ask for that break."

His voice was cold, not unlike that of his mentor when Silver was angry. Ash re-dressed.

"A Trainer's job is never over, Gary. I still have two badges to win and I'll have them before you know it. I promise. Pikachu, Poochyena, I'm going inside. The sun's killing me."

Silver looked at his leaving form and a smile crossed his face. He followed the boy to his cabin. Ash was lying on the bed, petting his two Pokémon. Silver sat by his side.

"Gary may be strong, but he's nothing compared to you."

Ash raised a brow and turned to his mentor. Silver took a picture from one of his pockets. On it were ten people, most of them known by the boy.

"That's the Kanto Gym Leaders I met!"

"Exactly. Do you know what they hold in common?"

"They're Gym Leaders?"

"Blockhead!"

Silver laughed and rolled by his son by heart.

"Those ten people are Flint Harrison, who is Brock's father, the Three Sensational Williams Sisters, Lt. Jonathan Surge, Erika Sakurahime, Koga Kagemushi, Sabrina LeFay, Professor Augustus Blaine and Giovanni Rocket. Not only are they Gym Leaders, but they belong to a special category known as the Eight Challenges."

Ash turned to him.

"The Eight Challenges?"

"Yes. The eight most challenging gyms of Kanto. There are many gyms in Kanto, but none of them are as good as the Eight Challenges, in other words: Viridian, Pewter, Cerulean, Vermillion, Celadon, Fuchsia, Saffron and Cinnabar. And it happens that all of the gyms you challenged so far belong to that category." Silver winked. "So Gary may boast he has more badges than you do, but yours are way more rewarding. Because, between you and I, the leaders of the Eight Challenges are under direct order of the Elite Four. Pewter and Viridian follow Bruno, Cerulean and Celadon are led by Lorelei, Fuchsia and Saffron serve Agatha and Vermillion and Cinnabar are under Lance's command. To say if these guys are strong …"

Ash rolled on his mentor's chest.

"What about Cinnabar? Gary said the gym is closed."

"Don't worry about it. Blaine is known as _The hot-headed quiz master_. As the island was invaded by tourists that didn't care for Pokémon battles, he closed his gym and built a secret one hidden by the enigmas he loves so much. You'll have to solve them to reach it. So, see? Nothing's lost. Besides, I warned him that you were coming for him. He knows you'll reach Cinnabar sooner or later. And he's waiting."

"But first, I'll have to go past his enigmas. Damn. Say, what's his specialty?"

Silver laughed.

"To find it, you'll have to solve this riddle."

_Crimson, I am born._   
_Golden, I dance._   
_Ebony, I die._   
_Who am I?_

Ash sighed. He didn't like enigmas at all. Deciding he had nothing to do here, he left the cabin with his Pokémon. Silver turned to him.

"And don't you think about asking the others!"

The boy reached the deck and sat on a bench, replaying the enigma in his head again and again. What was Blaine's specialty? Deciding to take the path of logic, the boy closed his eyes. Cinnabar was a volcanic island. Blaine was known as the hot-headed quiz master. Something popped into his mind. Going to Brock, he asked.

"Hey, Brock. I have a question."

"What is it?"

"Does every gym leader have a title or something? Because Silver told me Blaine's title was The hot-headed quiz master and, just the same, Sabrina was called the Mistress of psychic Pokémon. What does that mean?"

Brock smiled.

"Have you heard of the Eight Challenges?"

"Yes. Silver taught me moments ago."

"Well, everyone of the Eight has a title. As the leader of Pewter's Gym, I was known as the Rock-Solid Pokémon Trainer. The same way, Misty told me she was known as the Tomboyish Mermaid when she ruled Cerulean City. Surge's title is the Lightning Veteran. Erika's title is the Nature-Loving Princess. Koga's title is the Poisonous Ninja Master. You already know Sabrina and Blaine's title. Finally, Giovanni is simply known as Giovanni of the Land."

Ash nodded.

"Thank you, Brock."

He returned to his sitting position. Something was striking in those names. Everyone of them was associated to a Pokémon type the Leader he had faced was a master of. Poison for Koga, Grass for Erika, Lightning for Surge … The boy grinned. He knew what type of Pokémon his future opponent would use. Yet, there was something he had to check.

"Lya!"

The Ninetales turned to him.

"Ash?"

The kid held a ripped flier.

"Can you set a bit on fire, please?"

The flame fox shrugged and obeyed. Ash looked closely at the fire that had ignited. Red at first, it quickly grew into a fine orange-yellowish flame that danced under the wind. After extinguishing it with a breath, he smiled at the sight of the burnt paper. It was black.

"Crimson, I am born. Golden, I dance. Ebony, I die. Blaine uses Fire Pokémon."

Brock raised a brow.

"And you did all of this just to figure out what Pokémon Blaine would be using?"

"No." Ash smiled. "It's a riddle Silver gave me. He forbid me to call for help to solve it."

Misty nodded.

"Right. Blaine likes riddles. What was yours already?"

"Crimson, I'm born. Golden, I dance. Ebony, I die. And the answer was fire."

Silver came to the three.

"Nice guess here, kid. Let's see if you can find this one. You can try too, Misty, Brock."

_I bite without teeth and breath without lungs._   
_I fly without wings and howl without a mouth,_   
_And die without being born._   
_Who am I?_

Ash rose and closed his eyes. The answer came instantly to him as the sea breeze caressed his face.

"It's the wind."

"Yep."

The ship finally docked at Cinnabar Island's main harbor. As Gary had told them, the place was filled with tourists.

"Let's see the Pokémon Lab." Brock suggested.

Unfortunately, the place was crowded with visitors, none of them being Trainers. The whole place had become a tourist trap. Ash sighed.

"Poor Blaine … I understand he made this secret Gym so not to be bothered by the tourists."

They passed by the ruins of the old Gym. The building was left abandoned. Silver sighed.

"Well, Blaine hasn't joined us yet. Let's look for a place to spend the night and enjoy the springs."

They came too late. The Pokémon Center and all of the resort stations were fully booked. They spent the afternoon looking for somewhere to spend the night … in vain. Help came in the form of a local who was wearing a red shirt and long blonde wavy hairs.

"Are you looking for something, my friends?"

"Yes." Ash answered. "We'd like to know if you knew of a place where we could spend the night. All of the hotels are full."

The man gave them a card.

"I'll be waiting for you."

Ash took the card. It was a card for the Big Riddle Inn. An enigma was on it.

_Next to the swing, you will see my hands,_   
_Or at least my face, waiting for time to go by._

Brock looked around. There was a lone swing on a tree. And next to the swing, a little away on a cliff was a clock. Ash raised a brow.

"I don't see anyone on the swing … but … waiting for time to go by, why wouldn't it be the clock?"

Silver grinned.

"I thought you didn't like riddles."

"That time's different. We need to find that inn."

They came to the clock and, as they hoped, the hotel was here. The local they had met earlier was waiting for them.

"You finally found the place. Congratulation. For this, you get to stay for free."

"Thank you." Misty grinned. "It was Ash who solved the riddle."

The man turned to him.

"Ash … the boy who is going against the Eight Challenges. You are here for Blaine, are you?"

"Yes. Silver told me he had built a secret Gym in Cinnabar that was hidden by riddles. Only Trainers who want to find the Gym can do it by solving the puzzles that protect it."

"Indeed. I guess you are hungry..."

The whole group's stomachs rumbled at the same time. The man grinned.

"Well, give me an enigma I can't solve and your dinner's on me."

Silver had an evil smirk.

"Fine by me. Can you guess this one?"

_When you feel me, it's still time._   
_When you hear me, it's too late._   
_Who am I?_

The man frowned.

"When you feel me, it's still time. When you hear me, it's too late. Let's see …"

The man remained silent a moment. Silver turned to Ash who was grinning wildly. He had found. He turned to the innkeeper.

"Meowth caught your tongue?"

"Alright, I give up. What is it?"

Silver turned to Ash who held Pikachu.

"It's lightning! When you feel it making your hair stand, it's still time, but when you hear it, you've already been struck."

The man laughed.

"Hahaha! Well done, young lad! That was a very interesting riddle. How did you find out?"

"By being zapped by Pikachu and Blitz a lot."

As promised, the group got free meal and access to the local hot springs. And as an added bonus, the keeper joined them during their dinner.

"You seem to like riddles a lot." Ash noticed. "That reminds me, Blaine is known to like riddles too. Are you two related or something?"

The man shook his head in sadness.

"No. I am Blaine."

The group turned to him, surprised. Blaine took his wig off and replaced it by a fake white mustache and hat.

"I lost my hairs in an accident that left me some scars. Ever since, I use shades and fake wigs, mustaches and beards to conceal my identity. You too had a similar accident, young Ash, right?"

The boy nodded and folded a part of his shirt to reveal his scar. Blaine winced.

"Charizard aren't easy to train. I remember seeing you when I brought back your friends' fossil Pokémon. How are they going, by the way?"

Misty and Brock took a poké-ball and released Omanyte and Kabuto. The man nodded.

"They look fine. And you, Ash? I heard you got an Aerodactyl."

Ash smiled and revealed the pterodactyl-like Pokémon. Blaine petted it.

"An amazing creature. Too bad you had to spend two months in a coma to get it. When I came to your friends, you still had life support." He frowned. "I talked to your mentor. He described you as a very nice and courageous boy, one worthy of being called a Trainer, unlike Oak's grandson. Why isn't he here, by the way?"

"He believes the Gym is closed and abandoned." Silver answered.

Blaine had a short laugh.

"I heard he was a pretty arrogant kid. Good for him he didn't get here. I would have hesitated before giving him a badge."

"Don't be sad about it." Ash growled. "He already has eight."

"And you have two more to get. Let me guess, you plan on going to Viridian afterward, right?"

"Right. I heard the Gym Leader is Giovanni Rocket."

"Giovanni ..."

Blaine sighed.

"An evil man, unfortunately. But he's strong. Ash, when you face him, be careful. I worked for him as a scientist once. Do not underestimate him. It may not end well for you."

"I know. But he and Silver are friends. As long as I'm with him, I don't think Giovanni would try anything against me. He isn't that stupid. Someone at the head of an organization like Team Rocket cannot be stupid."

The Gym Leader's eyes lit up.

"Yes. You have indeed what it takes to become a real Trainer. Listen, my Gym is hidden where firefighters can't win. I'll be waiting for you here. Six vs. six, no switching. Can I count on you?"

Ash had a grin.

"You can get the badge ready … And your Gym is hidden in the volcano, the only fiery place firefighters cannot extinguish."

Blaine couldn't help but smile. Later that night, Silver came to his student.

"Do you want to switch members?"

"No. Pikachu and Aerodactyl are strong enough to stand against Fire Pokémon, I have faith in Butterfree's skills and it's high time Poochyena had her first Gym Battle. Finally, I want to test Bulbasaur's new powers against a type advantage."

"And Jigglypuff?"

"She has nice jamming and support moves. I'll use her as a back-up."

Next morning came, and with it the time for Ash to battle. He had talked to his Pokémon last night, pumping them for the incoming battle. Aerodactyl was excited at the prospect of having to face a powerful opponent, Poochyena couldn't wait to prove herself and Jigglypuff was happy to have some fun. Bulbasaur was eager to try some of his attacks against Fire Pokémon and Butterfree was happy to be back in the course. Using his Aura Vision, Silver found the switch in the Gyarados statue that led to the basement of the inn and from there, deeper in the volcano. After a long flight of stairs, they finally reached a door. The heat was barely withstand-able. Silver covered his hand with ice and pushed the door. It opened to reveal a hanging battlefield that was standing over nothing short of a lava pool. Misty gulped.

"We really are inside a volcano!"

Blaine was waiting for them on the other side of the field. Ash came to him.

"I am ready."

"So am I, young Ash. Let's fight."

Both took a poké-ball.

(Play [Saber's Edge](https://youtu.be/Vz8ZOw392M8), Final Fantasy XIII)

"Ninetales, go!" Blaine grinned.

Ash growled. Because Silver also had a Ninetales, he knew how to deal with the creature. He looked at his poké-balls.

"Alright, who goes first?"

A poké-ball shook to reveal Poochyena. The little hyena girl growled and rattled the ground, causing her Trainer to grin.

"You really want to prove yourself, do you? Alright, here you go."

Blaine raised a brow.

"You found a Poochyena in Kanto?"

"I got her from a crashed place coming from Hoenn. She's young and naive, but very eager to show her strength." He looked at the man. "Go easy on her, please Professor Blaine. It's her first Gym Battle."

The elder man smiled.

"There's little I could refuse to a Trainer who cares for his Pokémon like you do. Alright, I'll hold myself. Ninetales, Flamethrower!"

Ash grinned.

"Poochyena, dodge and use Scary Face!"

The gray canine jumped out of the incoming fire blast and gave her opponent her most feral face. Ninetales backed up, a little surprised that such a little creature could be so scary. Ash grinned.

"Alright! Now use Shadow Ball!"

After months of training, Poochyena had finally managed to get her aim right. Still shocked by Scary Face, Ninetales couldn't avoid the ghostly sphere that sent her reeling. Blaine raised a brow.

"And you tell me to go easy when she's that strong? Don't be kidding! Ninetales, Inferno!"

Ash's eyes widened.

"That's going to hurt! Poochyena, dig, but not too deeply!"

The tornado of fire was faster. And besides, the little girl didn't know this attack so well. It was a nice try, though. She jumped out of the hole, howling in pain with her tail ablaze. Ash gasped.

"Poochyena!"

The Dark Pokémon finally managed to get rid of the flames and turned angrily to Ninetales. Then without any warning, she Snarled. Ninetales jumped at the pissed-off, raging, hissing bark her opponent was giving her. Poochyena rattled the ground and Howled to raise her Attack stat, then dashed at the fire fox. Her Crunch attack drew some serious blood on Ninetales's neck. Ash whistled.

"I didn't know Poochyena could be that scary when mad."

"Tell you what, it's the first time I see her angry." Brock reassured.

Blaine was just as stunned. He didn't really think a little creature like the hyena-looking Pokémon could be such a threat.

"Ninetales, Flame Charge!"

Ninetales surrounded herself with fire and started running around, in vain. Poochyena wouldn't let go of it. She finally managed to get rid of the little gray pest, only for her to use Dark Pulse in midair. The Fire type yelped and fell, hit dead on her track. Poochyena wasn't any better, though. She landed before her opponent, only to collapse as Ninetales did. Blaine and Ash looked at one another.

"I think … that was unexpected. For the both of us."

The Fire expert weakly nodded. Silver grinned.

"Double knock-out against an opponent that was apparently way stronger than her. Nice for a first try."

Ash returned his Pokémon.

"You did amazing for your first time, Poochyena. Take some rest now, you deserved it."

He looked at his opponent, who had returned his Pokémon and was ready for another. Ash growled. This wouldn't be easy … Well, if that was so, better bring the big games now.

"Aerodactyl, come out!"

Blaine raised a brow.

"Nice Pokémon you got here. Well then, here you go, Magmar!"

Aerodactyl roared in ferocious happiness and winked to his Trainer. Ash grinned. The Flying type was in the team since not so long, but he was still more powerful than little Poochyena.

"Magmar, Flamethrower!"

"Aerodactyl, Aerial Ace!"

The prehistoric Pokémon used his natural agility to dodge the Flamethrower and hit Magmar dead-on. Blaine nodded.

"Grab him and Dynamo Punch!"

Ash winced as the powered fist broke the stony scales of his Pokémon.

"Taking things like that? Okay. Aerodactyl, Crunch me that hand!"

The stone pterodactyl had razor teeth that sunk deeply into Magmar's arm. The Fire Pokémon howled in pain.

"I'm not finished yet. Aerodactyl, shock him with Thunder Fang!"

The fiery duck yelled loudly when lightning coursed through his body. Aerodactyl then swiftly got away.

"Stone Edge!"

Shards of rocks were machine-gunned to the Pokémon that cowered under the assault. Blaine growled. The kid was good …

"Magmar, retaliate with Flame Burst!"

"Dodge it with Aerial Ace and use Ancient Power at point-blank range!"

Aerodactyl did as ordered and sent the white energy sphere straight at Magmar's face. The Pokémon lost his balance and would have fallen in the lava pit if the Rock Pokémon didn't catch him … only to drop him straight in the middle of the field. Blaine nodded.

"Sky Drop. Nice one. Well, it seems my Magmar can't take anymore hits. You've got a nicely trained Pokémon, kid. Wait, let's make two for now. Your little Poochyena was also very good."

Ash blushed under the compliment. Blaine took a poké-ball.

"Flareon, I need your help!"

Ash frowned when the little fire creature appeared.

"Butterfree, here you go!"

Blaine raised a brow.

"A Butterfree against a Flareon? You're looking for troubles, young man."

Ash merely smiled. Silver looked at the man.

"You know, he actually brought a Bulbasaur to this battle."

The scientist almost chocked.

"A Bulbasaur? Against a Fire type? Poochyena and Aerodactyl were great, but I'm starting to wonder if he is really that intelligent."

"It isn't intelligence." Silver retorted. "It's guts. And Ash has a lot of these."

Blaine sighed.

"Alright, let's make it quick. Flareon, Overheat."

Ash nodded.

"Butterfree, show him your Psychic."

The purple butterfly gladly obeyed. His eyes glowed and focused on the incoming flame tongue. To Blaine's greatest surprise, the tongue turned into a ball Butterfree sent back straight to Flareon, knocking him a few feet away.

"Okay, now Psybeam!"

A multicolored beam hit Flareon dead straight. Ash nodded.

"Chain with Acrobatics"

Fast and agile, the butterfly assaulted his opponent until the creature was panting and had a headache. Blaine growled.

"Let's see how you like this: Fire Spin!"

"Counter it with Silver Wind!"

The aerial attack managed to keep the flame tornado at bay. Even better, while he was performing Silver Wind, Butterfree was also charging Hyper Beam. Blinded by the two attacks, Flareon never saw the blast coming to knock him cold. Blaine was speechless.

"Well I never! Now that's what I call talent! Winning with such a type disadvantage … I wonder how you'll do with your Bulbasaur."

"In all honesty, I don't know. He got some new attacks recently and I've yet to use them."

Blaine took a new poké-ball.

"Arcanine, here you go, my friend!"

Ash nodded.

"Alright. Feel up to this, Bulbasaur?"

The Grass Pokémon appeared. The boy grinned.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Flame dog faced grass turtle. Blaine smiled. He was curious to see how the kid would make it through.

"Arcanine, start with Flame Charge!"

Ash grinned as the fiery canine rushed to Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, jump using Whip Vines and retaliate with Seed Bomb!"

The Pokémon obeyed and propelled himself out of the way. His volley of explosive glowing seeds hit Arcanine right behind the neck. The Pokémon growled and retaliated with Flamethrower. Bulbasaur winced as the heat scorched his skin. His Trainer had a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. Use Giga Drain to recover your health."

Bulbasaur's bulb glowed green and Arcanine's strength faded, filling his opponent instead. Blaine frowned.

"Arcanine, combine Double Team with Extreme Speed!"

Ash smiled.

"Bulbasaur, use Leaf Storm to get rid of it and use Power Whip on the real one!"

A powerful storm of sharp leafs destroyed any illusionary Arcanine that tried to near the Grass Pokémon. More, the raging attack managed to slow down the real Arcanine. Bulbasaur grinned. He got it. His vines glowed purple and lashed out at the dog, making him trip over. Ash had a victorious smile.

"That's it! Frenzy Plant!"

Blaine's eyes widened. This little Bulbasaur knew Frenzy Plant? The answer was yes. Sharp thorns rose from the ground and assaulted Arcanine who howled in pain. The Gym Leader clenched his hand.

"Arcanine, Overheat!"

Ash shivered despite the warmth.

"Bulbasaur, Hyper Beam!"

Silver grinned. His student was finally using it! Blaine's face at the order was totally worth it. Hyper Beam easily blasted the fire burst and struck Arcanine straight on, knocking him cold. The Professor-Gym Leader's face was that of pure disbelief.

"A Bulbasaur … using Hyper Beam … How could it …?"

"Bulbasaur is special." Silver grinned. "He is one of the very few people in this world who met the Ancient Savior Dana, who is said to have power over Nature."

Blaine raised a brow.

"This old tale is true?"

"Yes. Dana still exists as a magical tree in the secret Bulbasaur Garden. Bulbasaur came here and proved himself worthy of her blessing by staying true to his beliefs. Since he really didn't want to evolve, Dana gave him the ability to use every attacks his evolutions could use, Hyper Beam and Frenzy Plant included. That's why he is so powerful."

The old man chuckled.

"A Pokémon touched by an Ancient … I had no chances from the start. Nice fight, thought. Fine, let's see what you'll do against my Rapidash ..."

Ash grinned. Rapidash was extremely fast. He turned to his friend.

"Here you go, Pikachu. And thank you, Bulbasaur. You were totally amazing, especially when you used Hyper Beam."

Fire horse and electric mouse faced each other. The hostilities quickly started.

"Pikachu, Agility!"

"Rapidash, do the same!"

The two Pokémon started to race around the field in an impressive display of speed and nimbleness. Their Trainers ordered at the same time.

"Flame Wheel!"

"Volt Tackle!"

The two Pokémon covered themselves with their respective element and charged at each other. They collided like this several times before …

"Rapidash, Megahorn!"

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!"

Rapidash's horn grew longer while Pikachu's tail turned iron-hard. The two attacks collided in a rain of sparks before pushing the two back. Rapidash charged Inferno. Pikachu charged Thunder. The explosion of the two attacks covered the whole battlefield. Ash and Blaine glared fiercely at each other, seeking to outmaneuver the other.

"Pikachu, Thunder Wave!"

"Rapidash, Will-O-Wisp"

Pikachu successfully managed to paralyze his opponent with the attack. Ash had his friend learn the trick especially against opponents too fast for them. To even the odds.

"Pikachu, Volt Tackle now!"

"Rapidash, Heat Wave!"

It was useless. Pikachu's speed was great enough to evade the breath of hot air and slam into the flame horse who crumbled, defeated. Blaine nodded.

"A ferocious and heated fight. Congratulation getting so far, kid. But I'm not finished yet. I have yet one last Pokémon to send and he isn't like the other ..."

Pikachu jumped on his friend's shoulder and had a devious smirk. Ash took a poké-ball.

"Same here, old man. Go, Jigglypuff!"

"Rhydon!"

The Drill Pokémon appeared and faced the round pink Pokémon who didn't seem that intimidated at all. Ash raised a brow.

"A Rhydon? Well, alright. Get ready, Jigglypuff!"

"I am already ready, kiddo! Rhydon, Stone Edge!"

Jigglypuff shivered when she saw the stones heading her way. Ash nodded.

"Throw them off with Hyper Voice!"

Jigglypuff breathed a long gulp of air she sent as powerful sound waves. The rocks broke under impact. Blaine nodded.

"Nice. How about this? Rock Slide!"

Stones fell from the ceiling. Ash's eyes widened.

"Reflect!"

A pink barrier surrounded Jigglypuff, protecting her from the falling rocks. The boy growled. This would be hard.

"Body Slam!"

The pink ball nodded and jumped at Rhydon. Blaine had a half-smile.

"Rhydon, Brick Break!"

The Pokémon's fist glowed and lunged into Jigglypuff's vulnerable body, sending her reeling away. The Fire Master wasn't over.

"Finish her with Earth Power!"

Ash growled. He wouldn't get down without a fight. Well, alright. He didn't like it, but he had to use this move. Before the surge of yellow energy struck, he gave an order.

"Jigglypuff, Perish Song!"

Jigglypuff weakly rose and hummed a soft song that hung in the air. It wasn't smooth and peaceful like her usual Sing attack, but more like a sad, tearful requiem. Blaine froze. Rhydon was his last Pokémon. And Ash had just used Perish Song, which guaranteed an absolute KO after three attacks. He would never defeat all of the kid's Pokémon in three attacks. In other words, the old man was doomed. Earth Power finally struck, knocking Jigglypuff out. Ash looked at Pikachu. He wasn't completely sure if Perish Song would knock him too since Jigglypuff had already been defeated. Pikachu nuzzled his friend to reassure him and jumped to challenge Rhydon. The creature had three attacks. Pikachu was dead set on holding off until his opponent used them all. And for this, he had just the right tool: his speed.

"Rhydon ..."

Ash readied himself, Pikachu doing the same.

"… return. I give up."

(End music)

The entire group gasped.

"But why?" Misty asked.

"Because I could never defeat Ash's team with three attacks. A wise Trainer knows when he is done for. Ash was clever to use Perish Song on Rhydon. It is my last Pokémon, meaning that I can't switch him out. And even if I could, switching is forbidden in this fight. So Ash wins no matter what I do. Well done, kiddo."

He took a pin and handed it to the boy. It was a pink flame with a red core.

"The Volcano badge. Wear it with pride."

Ash smiled fondly.

"Thank you, Professor. It was a fight I truly enjoyed."

The badge went with the others in the case made by Silver. The group got out of the gym and headed to the Center. Fortunately, only tourists were here so Nurse Joy had all the time needed to heal their Pokémon. Ash congratulated them.

"Well done, everyone. I've got my new badge thanks to you all. And Jigglypuff, it was a nice Perish Song. Guaranteed me a smooth victory."

Poochyena whined and looked away, somewhat sad. Ash caressed her.

"Don't cry, Pooch. You did wonderfully for a first fight. Taking down a Ninetales, even if you fell along, is something you can be proud of, especially since it was your first Gym Battle."

The creature's answer was to jump in her Trainer's arms and clean his face with strong licks. Ash hugged her under Blaine's pleased smile.

"He really cares for them."

"Yes. At the start of his journey, he promised me none of his Pokémon would lack in love and care. Every week-end, we all spend the day caring for them instead of training."

Their next stop was the man's hidden lab. There, they learned a lot about Fire Pokémon and other things such as volcanoes. Actually, Blaine had given himself the task of keeping watch over the fiery mountain. The old man turned to Ash.

"Tell me, does Charizard know Blast Burn?"

Ash shook his head.

"Not that I know. Can I contact Professor Oak?"

Blaine led him to a video phone. The boy dialed a number and, soon, the Pokémon Professor's head appeared.

"Ash! It's been long! How are you doing?"

"Fine, professor. I just won my seventh badge against Blaine."

"Really? Well, congratulation."

Blaine had a smile.

"The kid gave me one fiery fight, I tell you! He defeated my Flareon with a Butterfree and used Perish Song on my last Pokémon to secure his victory!"

"But it was as a last resort because Jigglypuff was done for! I didn't like giving that order!"

Oak laughed.

"Ash is tricky like that. Powerful and steadfast, but also sneaky as an Arbok when he wants. Well, why did you call me for?"

"I don't remember of Charizard knows Blast Burn or not."

Oak looked at his files.

"No, he doesn't."

Blaine nodded and gave the boy a ring.

"Give this ring to your Pokémon and have him train. Soon enough, the knowledge of this ring will pass into him and he'll know the move."

Brock's eyes widened.

"A Move Tutor!"

Blaine turned to him.

"As a master of Fire types, I have to have a Move Tutor teaching Blast Burn, right?"

Ash took the ring with care and put it in his badge case around the Thunder Stone. Silver grinned.

"This case of his is a little like a treasure chest to him. It is where he places his most important items, all of them given by Gym Leaders. The badges, a Stone given by Lt. Surge, your Move Tutor ..."

A furious beep was heard. Blaine turned to a screen and froze.

"Oh no … This is bad."

"What's happening?" Misty asked.

"The volcanic activity is increasing rapidly. This means bad news ..."

"What news?" Ash asked.

Silver shivered.

"It means that Cinnabar's volcano will soon erupt."

The entire group stood still at the statement. Silver turned to Blaine.

"What do you think the eruption will be?"

Blaine turned to him, anxiety painted over his face.

"Explosive, because of the blockage atop the main magma chamber. There are other magma chambers like the one we fought in, but they are too small to allow a good aeration of the volcano. And the blockage is impossible to reach even for my Pokémon ..."

"Which means we have to evacuate the place, quickly."

The man took a phone and called Officer Jenny.

"Officer, this is Silver Nor Shadow speaking."

"What do you want?" The woman asked, sensing the unease of the man.

"I'm calling you from the Cinnabar lab where Blaine watches the volcano. It will soon erupt, Officer. And it will be an explosive eruption. You have to start evacuating the place."

The policewoman froze.

"An explosive eruption? Oh, gods … With all the tourists in town … I'm calling Nurse Joy and my colleagues right away!"

Blaine sighed.

"Straight in high touristic season ..."

"And when every inn is booked full. It's going to be a mess. Well, let's be off. Explosive eruptions are at the origin of pyroclastic flows. 1,830°F, 450 mph, better not stay around ..."

Blaine looked at the place.

"Most of my work was placed into disks and chips easy to carry in case such a disaster struck. I'll have them gathered in no time."

The group helped him do it and ran away. At the same time, Gary was enjoying the hot springs when the water's temperature quickly climbed up. He jumped out, angry.

"What is happening here?"

The water started to boil. Suddenly, a voice echoed across the town.

"Attention, citizen. It has been announced that Cinnabar's volcano will soon erupt. You are to gather your things and reach the harbor in orderly fashion. Please, hurry up. We have contacted Seafoam Islands and Fuchsia City. Ships are quickly coming to get you away."

Gary froze. Just when he was taking some holidays …

When Ash, Blaine and the group reached the harbor, the last ship was leaving. Silver growled.

"Arceus dammit, we're too late!"

Misty turned.

"Does this mean … we'll be caught in the eruption?"

" _Do not think like this, child of the waves …"_

Misty turned to the sea. There was only one being that called her that way. It was in Porto Vista, during the crisis when Tentacool and Tentacruel tried to destroy the place. And indeed, a blue head with two pink blobs emerged from the sea. The girl's smile widened.

"Kraken!"

The giant Tentacruel waved his tentacles.

" _Get on my head. I will take you to safety._ "

The group quickly obliged, just as the volcano erupted and a shock-wave blasted an island. Kraken quickly gained some speed, staying at the surface so his passengers could watch the spectacle. It was beautiful in a terrifying sort of way. A huge column of ash and smoke rose into the sky while pyroclastic flow rushed down the slopes at unimaginable speed, soon engulfing the town and its surroundings. Kraken moved even faster.

" _Running volcano clouds can rush over water. If they reach us, I'll dive. My psychic powers are strong enough to create a bubble of air around you so you can breathe._ "

Fortunately, it didn't happen. They were seeing Seafoam Island when the cloud stopped moving. Blaine whistled.

"Now that's what I call an explosive eruption. I wonder how much Cinnabar Island will have changed once it is over."

The eruption lasted two weeks. Ash used this time to switch Aerodactyl for Charizard and start training him to learn Blast Burn. Charizard had become very docile after the incident. Pikachu's scolding and Ash's growing mastery over his Pokémon turned his rebellious behavior into a perfect loyalty. Finally, after some time, it was established that the volcano presented no more risks. Riding Kraken, the group returned to the place. What they found was a panorama of end of the world. The whole island was covered by gray ashes that made it somewhat hard to breathe. The town, the slopes, the lab … everything was covered by ashes and dust. The summit of the volcano had blown away and rifts could be guessed on its edges. Every living thing was dead, either asphyxiated or burned by the searing heat. Silver turned to Blaine.

"Well… good luck on the reconstruction."

"I wonder if that will ever be possible..."

Noise was heard a little away, a sound muffled by the gray blanket that covered everything. Instantly, everyone was on the look-out. No ordinary creature could survive in such an environment. But Silver knew something. There were two Pokémon that were related to volcanoes, two Legendary Pokémon. One of them was Heatran and was a Sinnoh native. The other was…

Entei walked through the desolated landscape. His earliest memory was that of a intense warmth, then a sensation of speed that brought adrenaline to his body. When his eyes first opened, thought, all he had seen was ashes and all he felt was cold. Moved by some instinct, he had started walking around, looking for something he didn't know. So far, all he had found was destroyed trees, ruined buildings and this everlasting gray blanket. He was crossing a ruined town when voices were heard.

_"Well… good luck on the reconstruction."_

_"I wonder if that will ever be possible..."_

Curious, the Legendary Beast walked to the sound. There were beings here, the first he had ever seen. They seemed to be wary of them, given the defensive stance they were taking. It didn't last. Soon, the nervousness left place to amazement. One of the beings, a male it seemed, with black clothes and silver hairs, spoke.

"Guessed so. Welcome here, Entei."

The eldest male seemed greatly surprised.

"An Entei? In Kanto?"

"Yes. Entei are born during powerful volcanic eruptions. The explosion of Cinnabar volcano was strong enough to give birth to, if not a Heatran, at least this creature."

Entei walked to the croup, curious. The three younglings watched him with respect and admiration. The boy with fair skin raised his hand, hesitating to caress his brown fur.

"He is beautiful. Just looking at him, I feel strength radiating from his body."

Silver turned to Blaine and elbowed him into interacting with the creature. The elder man caressed the creature's plates that were covering his face.

"Welcome to life, Entei. My name is Blaine."

The Volcano Pokémon felt the kindness and friendliness that came from the old man and nuzzled him. Blaine scratched him a little and the Pokémon confirmed his amicable behavior. Silver smiled.

"Like any newly born, this Entei has no experience. Since you are a Fire expert, I think you should keep it. It was born in Cinnabar, after all. You more than anyone else have the skills to raise him and train him."

Seeing the beast was seemingly harmless, Ash slowly dived his hands in the creature's soft mane. Entei turned to him. The boy looked at him and fearlessly held his gaze. More, he moved his hand behind the plates on his face and scratched his fur. The effect was instant. Entei started to purr in pleasure. The boy grinned.

"You like it, huh? You big Meowth!"

Blaine looked at him.

"Entei, do you want to come with me?"

The Pokémon looked at the man and nodded. Blaine took a poké-ball and held it to the Legendary Beast. Somewhat understanding what was to be done, Entei was about to touch the white spot when a voice echoed.

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

Ash reached on instinct and jumped between the blast of water and Entei. The two rolled away under the strength of the impact. The lion-like Pokémon growled. He didn't like the contact of water. Ash rose and glared at the offender.

"Gary, what are you thinking?"

The group turned in a single move. The brown boy was here, a smirk on his face.

"Entei are Legendary Pokémon. Who else than I, Gary Oak, the grandson of the legendary Professor Oak, could have such a rare Pokémon in his team?"

Ash answered immediately.

"Maybe the Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island. Right, Blaine?"

The old man grinned.

"Well said, kid. Listen young punk, Entei was born on my island, in my Gym. I dare you to try and catch it in my stead."

"And besides, Entei clearly showed that he likes Blaine." Misty added.

To confirm the girl's words, Entei came to the Gym Leader and touched the poké-ball he was still holding. The sphere didn't even shake. Gary watched in disbelief.

"What? No ways!"

"Yes ways." Ash retorted. "You being Oak's grandson doesn't give you every right. And if you're thinking about challenging Blaine, try again. He will never accept to challenge someone like you."

Blaine turned to Silver.

"You told me about the rivalry those two shared. You were right, they are total opposites. And you made a wise choice into supporting Ash over this brat."

Silver sighed.

"At times I wonder what Oak did to spoil him that much. Even I have the feeling that I spoiled Ash at times, yet he didn't turn into a pest like this one."

Gary was furious at the words. He turned away and growled.

"You haven't heard the last of me! I promise!"

Ash watched him leave, his eyes hard as steel.

"Good riddance. Seriously, I can't smell him."

Blaine got Entei out and caressed him.

"Welcome in my team, partner."

Silver grinned.

"I heard Entei's flames were similar to Ho-Oh's. Though they can bring destruction, I have seen an Entei cure a man who had a serious leprosy once. He breathed his Flames of Life on him and the disease disappeared like magic."

"Unfortunately, it will take time before the land can develop again..."

The sky became suddenly very clouded. Brock frowned.

"A storm is brewing..."

They found haven in the ruins of the Center. Dark clouds gathered and rain fell from them. Not a heavy rain that would cause lahars, only drizzle that slowly re-hydrated the ground. It was a washing rain that was cleaning the island of its sterile dust, bringing to the surface the more fertile soils. A cry was heard in the sky. Looking outside, the group saw a white Pokémon flying in the sky, controlling the weather by its sheer power. Ash recognized it instantly.

"Lugia!"

Closing his eyes, he hummed the magical song he learned so long ago. The Pokémon answered by his own. Once the land was fully humid and ready to bear life again, a new Pokémon appeared. Here again, the boy recognized it.

"Ho-Oh!"

A rainbow crossed the sky, much to the group's delight. The clouds scattered to let a warm sun appear and spread warmth over the land. Then, out of nowhere, plants grew again. The foliage rose and spread, covering the island with thick vegetation. No place was spared from the wild growth of nature. The group watched the miracle in awe. Ho-Oh and Lugia had brought back life on the destroyed Cinnabar Island! It was … beyond imagination. Blaine fell to his knees and looked at the sky.

"Heavens bless these two legends..."

" _And Arceus watch the two humans who stood for Entei when its freedom was threatened._ " Came the celestial answer.

The group was still amazed by the event when the first ships reached the destroyed harbor.


	18. Showdown at Viridian City

I had to close down everything  
I had to close down my mind  
Too many things to cover me  
Too much can make me blind  
I've seen so much in so many places  
So many heartaches, so many faces  
So many dirty things  
You couldn't even believe

I would stand in line for this  
It's always good in life for this

Oh baby, oh baby  
Then it fell apart, fell apart  
Oh baby, oh baby  
Then it fell apart, it fell apart  
Oh baby, oh baby  
Then it fell apart, it fell apart  
Oh baby, oh baby  
Like it always does, always does  
[Extreme ways](https://youtu.be/Cyt0ViDtJ_w), Moby

Back on the continent after the eventful days at Cinnabar, the group was resting by a fountain. The fresh water was a good contrast to the searing heat of the volcanic island. An island that had been brought back to life thanks to the Legendary Tower Duo. While Togepi was taking a bath, Horsea was weakly swimming. Somehow, the little Pokémon seemed sad. Misty caressed him.

"Horsea, is there something wrong?"

The Water Pokémon raised tired and saddened eyes to his Trainer before sighing.

"Something tells me swimming in a fountain doesn't suit him anymore." Brock noticed.

Misty frowned.

"Cerulean has a giant aquarium we use for our Pokémon. Maybe we should go back there."

Ash nodded.

"You could also drop Bellossom while you're at it. After all, you trained him specially for the gym, right?"

The girl nodded. Silver took a poké-ball.

"We'll be there in no time thanks to Odin and Charizard. After this, we'll go to Viridian City and finally Pallet Town."

The group nodded. Soon, while Ash and Brock were riding Charizard, Misty and Silver were on Odin. They reached Cerulean City in no time. They landed near the Gym, only to see a poster for a new show. Misty sighed.

"If I learn they didn't uphold their Gym Leader's duty, I'm sending Omanyte after them..."

When entering the place, however, they saw the three sisters waiting for them. Misty raised a brow.

"I don't remember warning them I was coming."

As soon as she saw her younger sibling, Lily rushed at her.

"Misty! Thanks heavens you're alright!"

Misty was clearly surprised by the sudden gesture. Daisy explained.

"We heard that you were at Cinnabar Island when the volcano erupted. We were all very worried about you."

Silver smiled.

"Well, as you can see, your sister is doing just fine."

Violet frowned.

"We noticed a badge was missing after we returned from one of our shows, many months ago. Was it you?"

Ash nodded.

"Yes. Misty and I fought for it and I won."

The woman frowned.

"You have guts to sneak in the Gym, have a battle and leave without a goodbye."

Misty sighed. Family … She turned to Daisy.

"Sis, I need a favor from you."

"A favor?"

They went to the pool and the girl released Horsea.

"I need you to take care of him while I'm away. He needs something bigger than a fountain or a river to swim."

Lily's eyes gleamed at the sight. Before anyone could react, she had grabbed and hugged the blue seahorse.

" _Kawai!!!_ "

She turned to Violet and Daisy.

"Can we keep it please? Please? Please?"

Violet's eyes narrowed and a grin appeared on her face.

"Alright, but in exchange you're leaving Starmie here, little sister."

Misty backed up.

"Starmie?"

Daisy explained.

"We need one more Starmie for our next show. We will gladly take care of your Horsea if you lend us Starmie in exchange."

The Water Trainer seemed quite reluctant. Silver placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Starmie is a very well-trained Pokémon. There isn't much more you could teach him, just like Bellossom. Besides, not counting Togepi, you already have a full team. I suggest you let Starmie here along Bellossom so you have some room for new teammates. Now that I think of it, you're lucky no one noticed you're walking with seven-technically eight Pokémon with you."

Misty gulped. Right, she had one Pokémon too much, not counting Togepi who didn't have a poké-ball.

"Oops, I had totally forgotten about it… Alright, you win." She looked at her sisters. "You're lucky, I have one more Pokémon to leave alongside Starmie. Bellossom, get out."

The Grass dancer appeared. Here again, Lily's eyes shone.

" _So cute!!!_ "

Misty looked at her sisters.

"I trained him all the way from an Oddish. He is powerful and can hold his own very easily. With him..." She grinned evilly. "You have no more excuse for handing badges without a fight. And besides he's also a good performer."

While Violet was surprised, Daisy had an appreciating smile.

"I saw Bellossom dancing before. Yep, he should do very well. Thank you, little sister. We will take care of your Horsea. Now, with this Starmie and Bellossom, I think I have a new idea for a show… Does he know how to swim?"

"Yes. That's something he does well."

Though his kind wasn't exactly swimmers, the Grass type had been raised by a Water specialist. It meant he knew some unusual attacks… like Surf and Rain Dance, which was technically impossible for him to learn.

"Then we have a deal."

The group was later invited to see the sisters' Underwater Ballet. As promised, the Flower Pokémon did a wonder, especially when he covered the pool with rose petals and lit the water through Sunny Day. Once things were settled here, the group headed for Viridian City. Somehow, Silver seemed nervous. It wasn't long before they landed near the arena. Ash took a long breath.

"Here we are… the Viridian Gym."

He clenched his fist.

"Silver, what is Giovanni like?"

The man looked at the Greek-looking building.

"Pragmatic, like any evil leader should be. But he's also very caring toward family members and friends. Once you have him as an ally, you can count on him. Also, if you want to live, better not harm his son. It's definitely the quickest way to die."

Ash nodded.

"Is he really that strong?"

"Yes. The only reason he didn't go after Team Dark Moon by himself is because they held his son in hostage and he was drowned in sorrow from the loss of his wife, Esmeralda. That's why he called for my help. After I returned Simon, he swore a life debt to me and accepted to keep his criminal activities low. That apart, there's a reason Team Rocket is the only evil syndicate in Kanto ..."

Ash clenched his fist. They were about to go when a red sport car passed before them. The boy froze.

"Gary..."

His rival raised a brow.

"Ash? What are you doing here? I thought after all that happened to you, you had given up and returned to Pallet Town."

"I'll go back home." The kid answered. "Right after I get my last badge."

"Because you don't have all eight badges yet? My poor lad..."

He took his golden case and opened it to reveal ten badges carefully aligned on the navy blue tissue. Gary explained.

"I was returning to Pallet Town when I passed by this town and decided to show the local Gym Leader what a real Leader is. You don't seriously think you can do the same, do you?"

Ash glared fiercely at his rival.

"I think so and I _will_ do so. Just wait for it, Gary. I'll have this badge before you noticed."

"I'm curious to see that..."

He jumped out of the car and went to the entrance.

"I am here to challenge the Gym Leader. Let me in!"

Without a sound, the door opened to reveal a dark area. Ash growled.

"Gary always thinks he's the best… He's seriously starting to piss me off!" He turned to his mentor. "I want to see his fight."

Silver nodded.

"You will."

He came to the door and knocked three times.

"Giovanni, open. It's me, Silver."

That did the trick. The door shifted once more to reveal the arena. The cheerleaders were dancing while Gary was facing a man half-hidden in the shadows. It seemed the fight had yet to start. It was a three vs. three with shifting allowed. Gary made the first move.

"Nidoking, I choose you!"

Giovanni, was hidden in the dark, grinned.

"Sandslash, go!"

The two Pokémon faced each other.

"Sandslash, Rollout!"

"Nidoking, counter it with Earthquake!"

The Poison Pokémon stomped the ground, causing it to shake and disturb the other Pokémon's race. Gary grinned.

"Finish it with Head Smash!"

Nidoking violently head butted Sandslash, sending it reeling across the field. Giovanni nodded.

"Not bad. It seems you have the strength to back up your words. How about this? Cloyster!"

The dual-type Pokémon appeared. Gary had a smirk.

"Cloyster, Icicle Crash!"

Spears of ice appeared. Though Nidoking managed to evade them, one scratched his armor. Gary nodded.

"Your Cloyster is strong. But what can he do against this?" He took a poké-ball he kissed softly. "Go, Arcanine!"

The fire dog appeared. Grivanni nodded.

"Not bad. Cloyster, Icy Wind!"

"Arcanine, retaliate with Flamethrower!"

The flame tongue easily beat the cold wind. The brown Trainer nodded.

"Finish it with Fire Blast!"

The big blast of fire was enough to badly damage the Bivalve Pokémon, even with Withdraw. Giovanni ordered a Water Pulse. Gary countered with Take Down. And won. The Leader nodded.

"Yes, you are indeed as strong as I heard. You will be perfect against this new Pokémon I got."

A door slowly came down to reveal a strange Pokémon clad in armor.

"This is the ultimate Pokémon. It was recently discovered and I wanted to test his powers against a strong Trainer like yourself." The man had a smirk that told nothing good. "You can use several Pokémon against him, if you want."

Gary shrugged.

"Child-play. Arcanine, Overheat!"

Arcanine was about to launch his attack when the creature raised an arm, stopping the flame dog dead in his track. A fling of the wrist and the beast had crashed against the wall. Silver frowned.

"Giovanni… what is that? What have you done again?"

Angry, Gary took Nidoking and Onix alongside Arcanine. The three Pokémon rushed to their opponent… and were raised from the ground. The Pokémon focused and several rainbow-colored circles collided with Gary's teammates. A Hyper Beam later, they were defeated. Gary backed up, severely disturbed.

"This is… impossible!"

"It is. It seems this Pokémon is really as powerful as I expected him to be."

"And I hope for yourself that you'll use it with care." Silver coldly said.

Giovanni raised a brow.

"Silver… it has been long."

"Indeed." He turned to Gary. "You have been defeated. I suggest you don't stay here any longer, kid..."

Gary turned to Ash.

"Wait! I want to see Ash's fight beforehand!"

The boy was totally shocked and panicked by his defeat. Giovanni turned to Silver's protégé.

"Ash? You mean Ash Ketchum, the only one to have come this far in the Elite Challenge in a long time?"

Ash looked straight at the Rocket Boss and stepped forward.

"Giovanni Rocket, I challenge you for the Earth badge!"

The man grinned.

"I heard a lot about you, young Ketchum. Those who faced you speak highly of you… higher than this arrogant brat. So be it. Challenge accepted."

"In your dreams!"

The group turned to see a young teen with shoulder-long red hairs, silver eyes and a black jacket. A Sneasel was by his side. Giovanni raised a brow.

"Simon? What are you doing here?"

"Getting some answers, especially about those Rocket members in black that are showing around more and more. And saving that kid from being owned like his friend."

Giovanni sighed.

"Looks like we are still at odds. Your answers can wait. I have a very expected match at hand."

"Match? Say instead slaughter! I saw the way you trashed the other with that strange Pokémon of yours. The same thing won't happen twice!"

"Simon, I wasn't planning on using him for this fight. Ash is Silver's protégé. I am not stupid enough to try dirty tricks on him when his mentor is around. That would be my end."

"Seriously… Why is it that I don't exactly believe you?"

"You're being paranoid."

"Well, that's what you get when you've seen as much as I have. You may be my father but Team Rocket is evil. No matter what it does, I don't trust it, even less its leader. Especially if he is my own father."

Giovanni sighed. This was getting nowhere.

"Simon, I will never do anything to harm you or Ash. You two are my sons. I care deeply for the two of you. Have you forgotten how distraught I was after your capture? I bless heavens every day that Silver saved you. Just like I am deeply happy he turned my other son into a Trainer powerful enough to take on the Eight Challenges and win the way he did."

Simon backed up, surprised, and turned to Ash… who was just as surprised.

"Wait… Simon and I… are your children?"

The group turned to him, then to Simon, then to Giovanni who finally realized what he said. Silver face-palmed.

"This had to happen..."

Ash turned to him.

"You knew it?"

"Yes."

"And you never told us?"

"Yes."

"...Why?"

"Well…"

Giovanni chuckled softly.

"Silver knows a lot about a lot of things, especially the relations of each criminal of Kanto. This is part of his task as a crime fighter. I knew about Ash's relationship to me… and I told him. Ash's legal father is Bruno, my younger brother. He and Delia are married and, luckily, her child looks strikingly like one she would have had with Bruno. But he isn't."

"Then… how was I conceived?" Ash asked with a shaking voice.

Giovanni looked away, not exactly proud of himself.

"A party. Bruno, Esmeralda, Delia and I were together and I somehow ended with Delia. I don't remember much because of the alcohol, but I know for a fact that you were conceived during this night."

"So, in other words, Ash isn't legitimate." Silver deduced.

"Yes. Officially speaking, he is Bruno's son. Genetically speaking, he's mine."

"And affectionately speaking..." Ash growled. "Silver is my true father and the only man I will ever call this way."

Brock whistled.

"Talk about a family..."

"Yes." Misty nodded. "It also means that he and Simon are half-brothers."

"And I am the oldest." Simon sighed. "What a pain. You really made a mess out of that one, Giovanni."

Silver nodded.

"That's for sure. Huh?"

Everyone froze. Suddenly, the building was violently shaken as bombs started to explode. Simon gasped.

"What the heck?"

Silver looked around.

"Everyone take cover!"

They were about to move when a rather huge part of the ceiling crumbled over them. Ash saw it.

"Watch out!"

Reacting on instinct, he extended his hand before him as a wave of blue energy surged through his body. And the Gym was destroyed.

When the dust settled, Simon emerged from under a piece of rumble. The building had lost its ceiling and a big part of the walls had been blasted away. However, it seemed only the main arena was damaged. The back area which held the Pokémon cages and Giovanni's office was intact. It was where the man had taken cover. Ash and the others were nowhere to be seen. Giovanni growled.

"Rocket Rebels… They wanted to take us all in one blow."

"And it seems they succeeded." Simon growled.

A blue light appeared from under a pile of rumble. Suddenly, the rocks were blasted to reveal an energy dome surrounding Ash, Misty, Brock, Gary and the others. The boy had his hands extended and was the source of the dome. Simon couldn't believe his eyes.

"An Aura Shield!"

Silver looked at the blue sphere protecting them.

"At last they've awakened…"

He looked at the spell and its caster. Placing his hands on the boy's, his eyes started to glow as he slowly took control of the shield. Ash sensed it and reacted instinctively by sending Aura to push him back. Silver shook his head.

"Tshhh… Let me handle it."

Hearing his mentor somewhat comforted the boy who released his control of the shield, surrendering it to his elder. Silver took over and turned the Aura dome into an Ice Shield he retracted in his hand.

"A nice spell… although a little too raw."

Ash turned to him.

"Raw?"

"Yes. Your powers are like an unpolished jewel. They are rough, unrefined. But with time and training, they can be turned into perfectly polished skills that will rival in shine with any diamond."

Ash softly nodded, then realized what had been said.

"Wait, you mean I have Aura powers!?"

"Yes, as this Shield can testify."

Giovanni raised a brow.

"You don't seem surprised."

"There were clues that Ash had those powers." Silver explained. "Several times, his reflexes proved to be unusually fast, which was an indicator for Aura Vision triggering. Also, During the Spearow attack, he was halfway to summoning a shield when Pikachu struck. And when we challenged Sabrina, if Butterfree didn't rescue us, she would have taken a nice Aura Sphere in the head. Finally, there was that time he held back a pack of angry Mankey _all by himself_ using only Aura Vision and his fighting skills. Gary can confirm, he was here when it happened."

Gary nodded. Suddenly, Ash fell on his knees, his breath short. Silver helped him lie against a piece of rubble.

"Here, take it easy. Aura is energy from the body, in opposition to psychic powers that come from the mind. Use too much Aura and this is what you get."

Simon came to the group.

"I too have Aura powers. But they aren't nearly as powerful as this."

He extended his hand and a small Aura Sphere appeared. It was at best the size of a tennis ball. Silver smiled.

"Sure thing."

He extended his own hand and an Aura Sphere appeared. At first the side of a melon, it grew to take that of a pumpkin.

"And it isn't one tenth of my real strength."

Simon had a short laugh. Silver turned to his protégé. The boy had fallen asleep, exhausted. Wrapping him in his cape, he let Giovanni lead them in his personal living quarters.

"Aura has always been present in our family." The boss said. "Though it was always in a latent state, there were times when someone in one of the branches found himself as an Aura Guardian."

Ash was placed in a big king-sized four-poster bed.

"We will wait until he wakes up. Right now, you are my guests… except Oak's grandson. I have nothing to do with arrogant brats like him."

Gary didn't need to be told twice. He flew to his car with his cheerleaders and fled Viridian City as fast as the machine allowed. The last events had scared the hell out of him. Ash awoke two hours later, only to find Pikachu curled in his arms and a platter with slices of chocolate cake. His stomach growled, so the boy decided to enjoy the delicacy and swallowed the cake in a few minutes, sharing some bits with his partner. Only then he decided to look around. The room he was in was beautiful and looked like it belonged to a prince or a nobleman. The furniture were sophisticated, the curtains pricy and there were some toys around. The boy had been curled in a black cape he knew all too well. Silver often used it as a makeshift bag, blanket, pillow and at least ten other different uses. Ash smiled and rose from the bed. Pikachu jumped on his shoulder and they started looking for the others.

Suddenly, something kicked inside the boy. It was as if a sixth sense had just awakened, a sense that enabled him to track people through a sort of energetic signature. The events came back to his head: the explosion, the surge of power, the blue dome, the feeling of being drained… and Silver's words. Aura. The boy had Aura powers. The blue dome was an Aura Shield he cast to protect his friends but, somehow, he put too much strength into it and ended up exhausted. Pikachu turned to him.

"Pika?"

Ash scratched him.

"It's alright Pikachu. I'm just a little confused, that's all."

Closing his eyes, he focused on the energetic signatures he felt. Pikachu was a small ball of electricity on his shoulder. His proximity made him very clear in the boy's head. Other presences could be sensed further within the house. He followed them and found one, two, three… five human presences in a room two doors away. When he opened it, he found Silver, Giovanni and the others waiting for him.

"Slept well?" Simon asked.

Ash turned to him. Despite their differences, the two were half-brothers. It was hard to believe but Simon looked a lot like his mother, Esmeralda, and their common family member was Giovanni. Silver smiled as the kid sat.

"Looks like you started using your newfound abilities. Let me guess, you followed our Aura to this place, right?"

"Yes."

The man nodded.

"This skill is called Aura Tracker. It enables you to sense and follow a specific Aura."

Ash sat.

"What am I going to do now that I have Aura powers?"

Giovanni frowned.

"Usually, once an Aura Guardian is discovered, he stops whatever he was doing to focus on his training."

"However, Ash has a real gift as a Trainer." Silver remarked. "It would be unwise to give up on it and fully induce in Aura training." He turned to the boy. "What do you want? Give up being a Trainer, give up on being an Aura Guardian or keep working in both fields?"

Ash frowned and took his badge case. In it were the Thunder Stone and the seven badges. Pikachu jumped on his knees, a pleading look in his eyes. His Trainer sighed.

"Last option." He rose from his seat. "I've always admired Silver for his abilities as both a Trainer and an Aura Guardian. If I can be both at the same time like he is, then I'll take that path. I want to control my Aura powers and I went too far as a Trainer to give up now."

Giovanni nodded.

"A wise decision. Now, let's see for our fight."

"And where are you going to fight?" Misty asked. "The Gym is gone."

"I have an arena deeper in the building. I use it for training. We'll take it."

"What are the rules?" Ash asked.

"Six vs. six, all-out with switching. And you better bring your best team."

Ash's eyes narrowed.

"Don't worry about it. I just have a few shifts to make…"

As they headed to the Center, Silver looked at the boy.

"What Pokémon are you going to use?"

"You'll find out soon enough. I have three Pokémon to change."

At the Center, he switched Jigglypuff for Clefairy, Poochyena for Haunter and Butterfree for Pidgeotto. Silver nodded. Pikachu, Charizard and Clefairy could pretty much secure the victory all by themselves. Maybe even Bulbasaur since he technically had the level of a Venusaur. They returned to the Gym where Giovanni was waiting for them. The arena was a classical fighting field with rising platforms for each contestant. Simon, Silver, Misty and Brock stood on the sidelines.

(Play [Darkness of the Unknown](https://youtu.be/8ygh4k2AyBw), Kingdom Hearts II)

Giovanni looked at Ash.

"I hope you chose your Pokémon wisely."

"I have. They are my best team members."

"Strength alone won't bring you victory. Sometimes, you have to think with your head instead of your muscles."

"I know. Just ask Blaine how I won against him. He chose to give up after Jigglypuff used Perish Song on his last Pokémon mere seconds before she was defeated and I called for Pikachu. I had four Pokémon and he had only one left."

Giovanni nodded.

"Brains and brawns combined. So be it then. Time to show me you really are up to your reputation. Machamp, I choose you!"

Ash's eyes narrowed. His voice was icy.

"Believe me, I am. Clefairy, here you go!"

Giovanni raised a brow.

"A partially evolved Normal Pokémon against a fully evolved Fighting type? You're testing your luck!"

"I wouldn't be so sure. Clefairy isn't called Steadfast for nothing. Her father is a Breloom. She knows a thing or too about fist fights. Clefairy, here we go! Psychic!"

A wave of mental energy hit the four-armed Pokémon hard, pushing him a few feet away. Giovanni frowned.

"Machamp, increase your strength with Bulk Up!"

Ash nodded as the Fighting type stretched his muscles and red light covered him.

"Clefairy, Calm Mind!"

Clefairy closed her eyes and placed her hands at stomach level, a palm in the other. Pink energy surrounded her. Their eyes opened at the same time.

"Machamp, Close Combat!"

"Clefairy, Cosmic Strike!"

Cosmic Strike was a codename for the dual-attack Thunder Punch-Meteor Mash. Both of her fists glowing golden, the girl jumped at her opponent and answered blow for blow to his chained assault, countering each punch with her own. Giovanni was surprised. Victory wouldn't be easy to get. Machamp and Clefairy jumped away, guessing the other. The Fairy Pokémon's fists were clenched and her eyes were fierce. Machamp was looking intensely to his smaller opponent. Though he was dwarfing her with at least three good feet, he couldn't ignore the strong fighting spirit that came from his smaller opponent. Clefairy was examining her enemy's stance, searching for an opening, a flaw to exploit. She put a foot back, ready to charge. Machamp did the same.

"Return!"

"Giga Impact!"

Machamp's fist collided with Clefairy's. He raised another arm to strike but the girl blocked it again, ducked under the third arm and blocked the last one with her foot. It seemed her training alongside Tyrogue brought some fruits … She then looked straight at her opponent's face and unleashed a flurry of Swift stars. Blinded by the attack, Machamp backed up. Clefairy grinned. She had him. Giovanni frowned deeper. Ash's little pink ball was definitely powerful.

"Close Combat!"

Machamp rushed at his opponent, ready to strike. Clefairy jumped out of the way as Ash gave his orders.

"Hot 'n Cold!"

Clefairy grinned. It was one of her favorite attacks. Charging an Ice Punch in a hand and a Fire Punch in the other, she landed on her opponent's back …

"Machamp, Superpower!"

The Superpower Pokémon swiftly turned, grabbed the girl and sent her high in the air.

"Chain with Focus Blast!"

Using all of his four arms, the Pokémon created a huge blue sphere he threw at Clefairy. The girl growled.

"Clefairy, Solar Beam!" Ash yelled.

The Fairy Pokémon extended her hands and channeled the light of the sun in a sphere of light. The two attacks collided with one another, fighting for dominion. Solar Beam won and hit Machamp straight in the head. Clefairy then dived to her opponent, a Return to shatter rocks charged. It was a headshot. The girl landed to deliver an Iron Tail soon followed by Flamethrower, a new trick she had learned from Charizard. She was about to use Ice Beam when Machmp's body glowed red and he turned to her, angry. Ash froze.

"Damn it, his ability is Guts! Clefairy, be careful!"

Machamp quickly grabbed the Normal Pokémon and launched her in the air before slamming her down the ground in a strong Seismic Toss. Clefairy rose slowly, growling and covered with scratches.

"Clefa… Clefairy!" (Damn… That hurts!)

Her opponent was already coming at her with Cross Chop. Clefairy turned her fist green. Time to use her signature attack. Though his chest was protected, the Pokémon's lower body wasn't so guarded. And he was a male. Usually, Clefairy didn't really like using dirty moves, but her opponent was serious. Well, so was she. She ran, dived under the attack, rose … and hit the creature's groin with Drain Punch. Machamp thought he was going to die. He curled into a ball, howling in pain. Ash and Giovanni were just as surprised.

"She never pulled that trick before." The boy remarked.

Giovanni was wondering if he should return Machamp, since he didn't really look fine, but the Superpower Pokémon growled, rose, and launched Stone Edge to Clefairy. Problem is, the girl was being serious. Dead serious. And besides, what were a few pointed pebbles compared to razor-sharp leafs? She dodged the attack like a ninja, even launching some back with her feet and fists. She took a step back and ran full speed to her opponent, Cosmic Strike ready. The attack knocked the living lights out of Machamp. Jumping in a somersault, Clefairy walked away like the fighter she was. Giovanni nodded as he returned his Pokémon.

(End music)

"That was a fight unlike any others. To think a Clefairy, of all the Pokémon, could defeat Machamp… Your Pokémon is definitely skilled, Ash. You truly trained her well."

Clefairy looked one last time at the field before jumping to her Trainer side.

(Auto-translator: ON)

' _I feel like my powers are limited in this form. Even though I won against Machamp, the fight was very challenging, especially when Guts kicked in. Arceus, this can't last any longer! As soon as I can, I'll ask Ash to get me a Moon Stone to evolve. Knowing him, he will not say no. He never does. That's why we like him._ '

(Auto-translator: OFF)

Giovanni took another poke-ball.

"Your Clefairy fought well. Let's see if all your Pokémon can do the same. Kingler, go!"

Ash grinned. He knew exactly what Pokémon to use against this one. He took a poke-ball.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

(Play [Fight to the death](https://youtu.be/75hQJylsOdw), Final Fantasy XII)

Giovanni frowned. His defeat before Clefairy had made him more prudent. Though he was non-evolved, Bulbasaur didn't look exactly harmless. A silver glint on the Pokémon's paw caught his eyes. Looking closer, he froze. The Seed creature had an Everstone armband. This meant that the Pokémon before him could be of any level. Maybe that of a Venusaur, which wasn't impossible given Bulbasaur's Trainer.

"Kingler, start with Leer!"

The Pincer Pokémon gave his fiercest glare to its opponent. Bulbasaur didn't even flinch. Instead, Ash ordered a Sunny Day that made his Pokémon's bulb glow. The sun shone brightly through the glass of the ceiling. Simon nodded.

"A wise move. Not only it increases Bulbasaur's Solar Beam attack, but it also weakens Kingler's strength."

Silver nodded. Sunny Day had one more effect on Bulbasaur, but he didn't want to let the Meowth out of the bag yet.

"Bulbasaur, Seed Bomb!"

"Kingler, Scald!"

The exploding seeds were countered by the stream of boiling water and would have struck Bulbasaur if the Pokémon didn't use his vines to jump in the air and charge and Energy Ball that hit Kingler between the eyes. The crab creature staggered back. Bulbasaur's bulb glowed and a storm of sharp leafs flew to his opponent. Giovanni nodded. Leaf Storm, one of the strongest Grass attacks there was. Well, he wasn't exactly defenseless …

"Kingler, Iron Defense!"

The Pincer Pokémon crossed its pincers before him as his body turned into iron, enabling him to easily withstand the attack. When he took a glance, he saw a huge beam of light coming straight at him. The Sunny Day-powered Solar Beam melted the defense away. Giovanni cursed. His son was tricky. Tricky and aggressive. Well, he was right. The best defense is to attack.

"Alright, you asked for it. Kingler, Rock Slide!"

Rocks started to fall from nowhere but Bulbasaur wasn't afraid.

"Bulbasaur, Power Whip!"

Bulbasaur's vines glowed purple and shattered any rock that threatened the young Starter. Giovanni raised a brow. First Leaf Storm, then Solar Beam and finally Power Whip? Alright, that Pokémon was no pushover. But neither was he.

"Kingler, use Ice Beam!"

Ash froze. Ice was Bulbasaur's greatest weakness with fire.

"Bulbasaur, counter with Solar Beam!"

The Seed Pokémon quickly charged a burst of solar energy and used it to stop Ice Beam. But the Rocket boss wasn't over.

"Blizzard!"

"Petal Dance!"

The swirl of snowflakes froze the incoming pink petals, but the attack Ash had launched wasn't meant to score, it was merely meant to stop the hailstorm. Giovanni was quick to follow.

"Kingler, attack with Metal Claw!"

"Dream of it!" Ash retorted. "Bulbasaur, stop him with Frenzy Plant! It's time to show Giovanni our true power!"

Giovanni raised a brow. Frenzy Plant? No … Ash couldn't have mastered it yet … His brain froze when he saw the thorny roots springing from the ground to assault Kingler, tearing his shell skin to leave deep scratches in it, hitting with such force that the crab Pokémon was stopped dead in his track. Ash nodded. There they were!

"Bulbasaur, Hyper Beam!"

This time Giovanni was truly and utterly shocked. It was technically impossible for a Pokémon that wasn't in its final evolutionary stage to learn Hyper Beam and Giga Impact. Bulbasaur's bulb glowed brightly and a beam of pure energy was launched.

"Kingler, use Ancient Power!"

Kingler managed to call for a huge white sphere that struck the energy beam. The two attacks fought for a moment until Hyper Beam took over and hit the Pincer Pokémon. He rose slowly, still standing but definitively weakened. Ancient Power had spared him from total annihilation, but that was all. Giovanni growled. The tables had turned, now it was to him to be afraid of defeat.

"Kingler, Bubble Beam!"

Ash shook his head. Sunny Day was still active…

"Bulbasaur, Double-Edge!"

Bulbasaur grinned and, with an almost surreal speed, dashed between the bubbles. Kingler's guard was wide open. The charge hit him right between the eyes. While the young Grass type merely staggered back and saw Psyduck, his opponent fell to the ground, unconscious. Giovanni was almost disgusted.

(End music)

"Well I… A Bulbasaur knowing Hyper Beam? How is that possible?"

"Thanks to a chance encounter with a powerful Ancient called Dana quite some time ago." Silver explained. "Bulbasaur can use any attack his evolutions know."

The Rocket boss sighed.

"That's almost cheating…"

"Don't worry, even Blaine was caught off guards."

The elder man sighed. If even someone of Blaine's level had been tricked by the little Grass Pokémon … He took a new poke-ball.

"Golem, I'm counting on you!"

Ash frowned. Which Pokémon would he use? From what Brock taught him on occasion about the species, Golem knew Self-Destruct and Explosion. So he needed a Pokémon that could easily avoid such an attack. The answer came to his mind. Taking a poke-ball, he released the creature within.

"Haunter, here you go!"

(Play [Search and Destroy](https://youtu.be/Nn0_FjJvVHI), Sucker Punch. Start at 0: 50)

Haunter and Golem faced each other. Here again, Giovanni noticed the Everstone ring on the Ghost type's hand. Another Pokémon he better be careful with. And as if it wasn't enough, Haunter's ability was Levitate, which negated the use of Ground attacks. Just his luck … Ash made the first move.

"Haunter, Shadow Ball!"

"Knock it off, Golem!"

Golem merely brushed the dark sphere away. Ash frowned. He had the advantage, but Giovanni's Pokémon weren't to be underestimated …

"Haunter, use Hypnosis!"

Haunter's eyes glowed, slowly lulling the Megaton Pokémon in a deep sleep. The boy grinned.

"Now use Nightmare!"

This time, Haunter's eyes glowed purple and Golem started to twitch and shake in his sleep, growling. Ash frowned, just like his opponent. He didn't like this kind of techniques but Giovanni had proved himself a powerful opponent in spite of his losses. And the last thing the boy wanted was to lose to the leader of a criminal syndicate that looked like a Mafia boss. Even if the man was his father. Especially if he was his father. Besides, they were only related by blood.

"Finish with Dream Eater!"

Haunter grinned evilly and sent a ghostly claw through Golem's head. The creature howled in pain and woke up with a start with a violent headache. Giovanni nodded.

"I wasn't waiting for this from you. You are indeed tricky to deal with."

"Believe me, when I can, I avoid those methods. But you're strong and I want to win. Apologies will come later."

The elder man nodded.

"You're right. A good Trainer cares for his Pokémon and that of others, but he doesn't let his heart do all the talking. When needed, he has to be pragmatic and do what must be done."

Ash frowned.

"Alright, let's get real this time. Haunter, Dark Pulse!"

"Golem, get a hold on yourself and counter with Rock Blast!"

The huge Pokémon shot a grey boulder to counter the dark beam that was coming his way. It barely made it.

"Chain with Stone Edge!"

Ash saw his chance.

"Haunter, Sucker Punch!"

Haunter grinned. He loved this attack. Skidding between the rock splinters, he clawed Golem's face and arms.

"Dark Assault!"

Charging his hands with darkness, Haunter scratched Golem's body. Giovanni frowned.

"Golem, Iron Defense!"

Golem closed his eyes and turned his body iron-hard. Haunter's attack stopped being effective. Giovanni nodded.

"Now use Mega Punch!"

"Counter with Shadow Claw!"

It became a fist fight between the two dual-types. They were growling and snarling, clawing at each other's limbs. Golem used Rock Blast, which was countered by Shadow Ball. He followed by Stone Edge, which was countered by Night Shade. Iron Head was blocked by Shadow Punch and when the Megaton Pokémon used Rock Slide, the Gas Pokémon merely slalomed across them. Ash and Giovanni glared daggers at each other. They were at a stalemate. The others noticed it too.

"They are on even grounds." Brock frowned.

"If things keep going, this will last for hours." Simon remarked.

Giovanni's eyes narrowed. Alright, it was suicidal, but he had no choice. Both Pokémon were as strong as the other. No victor for no victor, better go out with a bang.

"Golem, use Explosion!"

Ash froze. Just what he feared. But he didn't choose Haunter for nothing.

"Haunter, become immaterial and hide in the ground!"

Giovanni's eyes widened. His son had predicted this move! In the end, the fight was won not through Pokémon's strength, but through Trainer's intelligence. And Ash was the victor. The man face-palmed.

"Outwitted by a ten-years-old. Suddenly, I feel old."

(End music)

Haunter emerged from the ground and looked around. The dust had cleared to reveal Golem without his heavy rock shed, his body badly burnt. The Pokémon's eyes lit up. He flew to his Trainer and swirled around him in happiness. Ash caressed him and returned him.

"You did an excellent job, Haunter. I'm proud of you. Really."

Silver was looking at Giovanni, who seemed somewhat tired.

"Hey Joe, want a break?"

The Rocket boss glared back at him.

"No thanks." He took a poké-ball. "Gyarados, take the field!"

Misty squealed.

"A Gyarados! That thing scares me as much as Bug Pokémon!"

Ash frowned. Gyarados were well-known to be feared opponents. Well, he too had a terror in his team.

"Charizard, I choose you!"

Silver frowned.

"Charizard… It's going to hurt."

"Ash is at a disadvantage." Simon frowned. "Gyarados is both Water and Flying."

Brock shook his head.

"Actually, Ash is using Charizard for a reason. His Outrage attack makes him totally crazed. Remember the incident at Grandpa Canyon?"

"Yes, I heard of it."

"Well, that's Charizard under Outrage. And besides, he learned Blast Burn no long ago."

Simon looked at the fight. Gyarados and Charizard were facing each other, more than ready to fight. The hostilities started.

(Play [At war with Kaileena](https://youtu.be/DoGQ5lNGlZA), Prince of Persia Warrior Within)

"Gyarados, start with Hydro Pump!"

"Charizard, counter with Inferno!"

Fire met water in a stream of mist. Ash grinned. He could feel the heat of his Pokémon's attack from where he was. Training with Blaine did him some great good. Yes, Silver was right when he said Fire types suited his personality the most.

"Aqua Tail!" Giovanni ordered.

The boy nodded. Despite being half Flying type, Gyarados was rather earth-bound, contrary to Charizard.

"Charizard, take flight and retaliate with Dragon Rush!"

Gyarados's watery tail missed the orange lizard by inches. Charizard flew high and cloaked his body in blue energy, only to dive straight at the Atrocious Pokémon. Giovanni frowned.

"Gyarados, counter with Twister!"

A strong swirl of wind came that almost sent Charizard off his track but the Fire Starter fought against it. The two Dragon attacks clashed against one another, wisps of wind and draconic energy coming from it. Finally, Charizard was pushed back but kept on flying. Giovanni frowned. He needed a good strategy to get rid of that one.

"Gyarados, attack relentlessly with Hydro Pump!"

Ash growled.

"Dodge and strike with Aerial Ace!"

Charizard nimbly evaded the attacks before striking the sea serpent to the head. Giovanni saw his chance.

"Ice Fang!"

Gyarados leaped at Charizard with incredible speed and bit his neck with ice-cold teeth. The Water type then managed to wrap himself around his opponent, harassing him with Aqua Tails Chazirard simply couldn't avoid. The Fire creature Pokémon roared in pain, trying to get rid of the offending beast on his back. Charging his fangs with fire, he bit the scales of the Attrocious Pokémon, without much success. Ash gasped, almost physically sensing his companion's pain.

"He's done for." Simon simply said.

Brock shook his head.

"I don't think so. Ash is resourceful. He will find a way out."

"He's right." Silver nodded. "You should give your brother more credit than this, kiddo. After all, he made it this far..."

Ash was desperately looking for a way, a way that didn't involve using Outrage. Something came to his mind.

"Charizard, ram everywhere you can with Flare Blitz!"

Charizard growled and covered himself with fire, then crashed into every place he could reach. Gyarados roared in pain. Giovanni frowned. Ash was starting to lose hope.

"Gyarados, use Hydro Pump at point blank!"

Ash's eyes went wide. In this state, the move was deadly! He closed his eyes. No choice... Gyarados spewed highly pressurized water on his opponent who roared in pure pain. He was losing consciousness when a voice reached him.

"Charizard, use it!"

The orange lizard almost breathed in relief. Releasing the anger and fury he had within him, he used Outrage and started to trash in Gyarados's deadly rings. And as if it wasn't enough, the red glow extended from his eyes to his whole body. Silver had a smug smirk and turned to Simon.

"Tell me again how Ash is done for...?"

Simon was wide-eyed. Charizard's Blaze ability had triggered. The Fire Pokémon breathed a heavy Inferno on Gyarados before repeatingly using Fire Fang where his neck and mouth could reach. He finally managed to get rid of the serpent, grabbed it and rose higher than the ceiling, even breaking the glass that covered it, then dived at near-supersonic speed. Ash's eyes lit up.

"It's Seismic Toss!"

The move sent Gyarados crashing into the ground. As a finish, Charizard created a huge sphere of fire in his arms that was at least the size of his stomach and sent it on his opponent. Giovanni froze. That move was Blast Burn. With Blaze activated, the attack's power was heightened to near-infinity. Needless to say Gyarados couldn't withstand it. Misty raised her nose.

"Weird, something smells delicious here."

"Must be that sea snake." Silver grinned. "Chazirard totally roasted him."

Indeed, Gyarados lay in the middle of a crater, unconscious and ready to be eaten. Giovanni sighed.

"Failed again. That kid is strong."

(End music)

Silver looked at him.

"Because Clefairy, Bulbasaur and Haunter's performances weren't enough for you?"

Charizard slowly got out of Outrage and crumbled to the ground. Ash ran at his side.

"Charizard, you okay?"

The fire Starter turned to him and nuzzled him softly, yet pain could be seen in his eyes, a pain Ash could feel thanks to his link with him. Taking a Mega Potion, the boy spread it on the heaviest wounds and returned him.

"Here, take some rest. You were totally awesome."

Giovanni took a new poké-ball.

"Ready for the next round?"

"Yeah, more than ever."

"Alright."

The took a poké-ball.

"Pidgeotto, take flight!"

"Rhydon, go!"

(Play [Axel-Guardian of the Sanctuary of Ice and Water](https://youtu.be/c3SBM_hxYRs), Rayman 2)

Pidgeotto immediately took off to make full-use of his Flying type's immunity to Ground attacks. Giovanni nodded. Pidgeotto was a wise choice in that regard, but he was weak to Rock attacks... that were Rhydon's second type.

"Rhydon, Stone Edge!"

"Pidgeoto, Whirlwind!"

The stone splinters were held at bay by the strong wind coming from the bird's wings. Ash then ordered an Air Slash. He must've noticed the Pokémon's strong fists ... or he was aware of Rhydon's possible move set and kept his distances. The elder man shook his head. His son was sharp but he wouldn't win this round.

"Rhydon, Rock Slide!"

Rocks fell from nowhere. Pidgeotto slalomed between them, breaking some with Steel Wing. Giovanni grinned as the creature drew closer to his Pokémon. Ash was grinning too. His partner was holding his own. Until...

"Rhydon, Smack Down!"

Ash froze. The rhinoceros Pokémon created a sphere of golden energy and launched it as Pidgeotto was dodging a falling boulder. The attack hit him dead on, sticking him to the ground. Before his Trainer could react, Giovanni was ordering his next attack.

"Rock Tomb!"

Stone pillars rose from the ground, trapping Pidgeotto in a rocky prison. The Rocket Boss was quick to follow.

"Earth Power!"

A burst of brown energy exploded from under Pidgeotto who shrieked in pain. Ash yelled.

"Pidgeotto!"

The situation had turned from a stalemate to basically a curb-stomp battle between Rhydon and his opponent. When the dust faded, the bird of prey was panting, his feathers ruffled and scratches on his flanks. The rock prison was partially broken. Ash nodded. This would do.

"Pidgeotto, Double-Edge on the stones!"

Sure, his friend would suffer from the recoil, but it would hurt less than being caught by...

"Stone Edge!"

...that. Pidgeotto channeled his energy and broke the rocks imprisoning him. The shards of stone were about to reach him when Ash ordered a Whirlwind on the ground. The strength of the wind was strong enough to break the effect of Smack Down and allowed the dual-type to take flight again. This didn't bother Giovanni much. Ash's Pokémon was weakened by the three successive attacks he took and wouldn't last much longer.

"Rhydon, Thunderbolt."

Pidgeotto was too weak to fully avoid the blast. It brought him down and near to defeat. Ash growled. Looks like he would lose this round. Pidgeotto glanced back and saw Ash's face. The boy was about to give up ... He sighed angrily. This wouldn't do. He was one of Ash's strongest Pokémon, yet that dumb rhino took him with surprising ease. No ways! Lugia and Rayquaza, he wouldn't go down without putting a little bit more of fighting! Rhydon stomped the ground with Earthquake. The bird found himself without any balance and fell on his wings. As he rose up, he saw the dual-type run at him with Thunder Punch. He glared back, angry, and shrieked in defiance. The strength accumulated within him, causing his body to glow. He became taller, his wings spreading to a greater length, his bangs became longer and differently colored and his beak and claws became harder and sharper. The phenomenon stopped Rhydon in his track, Ash's eyes widened and Simon took a step back.

"Pidgeotto is evolving!"

"Let's hope it turns the tables." Misty prayed.

When the light faded, Pidgeotto was now a fully developed Pidgeot. The evolution had completely healed him, basically resetting the fight back to zero. Ash's eyes lit up while Giovanni frowned. He wasn't expecting that, _at all_. Pidgeot took flight, his powerful wing shaking the air under him. His Trainer grinned hugely.

"Time to change the rules! Pidgeot, Aerial Ace! Chain with Air Slash!"

Pidgeot cloaked his body in light and struck Rhydon hard and fast. The next move came with great strength, the bird Pokémon avenging himself from the blows he had taken. Cloaking his body in a golden light, he flew to his opponent and harassed him. Silver was surprised.

"It's Sky Attack, a very powerful Flying move!"

Pidgeot followed with a Hurricane to uproot a baobab. Rhyson rolled away and rose, only to see his opponent rush at him with ... Giga Impact. Yep, Pidgeot was fully evolved, meaning he had access to that and Hyper Beam. Looks like he opted for the first choice. Ash cheered at the change in situation. The final strike was enough to bring Rhydon down, even with a Thunder Punch at point blank range. Giovanni closed his eyes.

"Alright, you win."

(End music)

Ash sighed.

"I really, _really_ thought I would lose that one. It was a close call." He hugged Pidgeot who took him in his wings. "Thank you! You were incredible!"

The bird chirped annoyingly. He didn't like the moment when Ash was about to give up. Still, he gladly returned in his poké-ball when asked and with the promise of a reward when the badge was won. Giovanni nodded.

"Pidgeot's evolution was unexpected. You are lucky that it occurred. But you still have one Pokémon to face."

"I know and I am ready."

"You better be... Persian, I choose you!"

Silver froze. Persian was Giovanni's strongest Pokémon. Ash would have it hard.

"Pikachu, it's your turn, partner!"

Pikachu jumped on the field and faced his opponent. Giovanni nodded.

"Cat vs. Mouse? Interesting. Let's see who will win this fight. Persian, here we go!"

(Play [You're going down](https://youtu.be/O0M5D5OA-d4), Sick Puppies)

The fight was intense from the very beginning. Giovanni started immediately with Persian launching a Shadow Claw Pikachu dodged with Agility. The little Pokémon was already a monster of speed. Agility made it twice greater. The Rocket Boss smirked. So be it…

"Persian, Hone Claw!"

Persian rattled the ground with his claws, sharpening them. Pikachu's fur bristled.

"Shadow Ball!"

"Electro-Ball!"

Persian generated a sphere of darkness while Pikachu created a ball of electricity at the tip of his tail. The two attacks collided in a burst. The next second, Pikachu was running at the Classy Cat with Thunder Punch while the Normal Pokémon had Night Slash ready. Sparks flew when the attacks met. Both Pokémon had feral faces, all of them willing and eager to defeat the other. Persian jumped away and unleashed Swift. Pikachu retaliated with Thunderbolt. He then charged Volt Tackle and rushed at near-supersonic speed to his opponent. Persian took the attack full-force. But, sneaky as he was, he still managed to land a Slash on the electric mouse. Pikachu hissed in pain and jumped away, glaring daggers to his opponent… who was basically doing the same. Simon frowned.

"Giovanni's Persian is strong. I'm surprised Pikachu can stand against him."

"Pikachu was trained by both Lya and Blitz." Brock explained. "Both are powerful team members of Silver, especially Lya. I have almost never seen him lose."

"You're too hard on your little brother, Simon." Silver kindly scolded. "Ash is worth way more than you could think. After all, he took on the Eight Challenges …"

Down there, the fight had gotten more intense. Persian focused his power and launched Power Gem. Sensing the strength behind the attack, Pikachu didn't hesitate and unleashed his strongest Thunder. The attacks fought to a stalemate before bursting in a cloud of dust. From it emerged a Volt Tackle-cloaked Pikachu. Giovanni frowned.

"Persian, Foul Play!"

Evasive and malicious, Persian jumped out of the attack's way at the last second. Caught by his momentum, Pikachu couldn't stop in time and crashed in the wall.

"Launch Shadow Claw now!"

The Classy Cat swiftly obeyed. Pikachu was still dizzy from his crash. He saw the attack just as it was reaching him and owed it simply to his quick reflexes not to be caught by it. He jumped on the field, fur bristled, and ran full-speed at the cat, dead set on making him pay. His tail turned iron-hard. Sensing the threat, Giovanni ordered a new Power Gem. Pikachu's Iron Tail sliced it in two and almost broke Persian's head jewel. His Trainer growled.

"Persian, Pay Day!"

"Pikachu, keep it at bay with Thunderbolt!"

The bolts of lightning kept the explosive coins away. Pikachu then ran at Persian with Volt Tackle while the cat was running with Night Slash. At the last minute, the electric mouse switched with Thunder Punch. The two attacks met the same way as the first time. However, this time Pikachu was launched in the air… just as he hoped. He managed to call both Volt Tackle and Iron Tail and fell to his opponent rolling on himself like a Sandshrew. The spinning caused lightning to focus on his tail. Persian, sensing the threat, unleashed a Hyper Beam. It was useless. The electricity-covered appendage pushed it back with ease before landing a critical hit on the Classy Cat's head. As a finish, Ash ordered a massive Thunder attack. Persian couldn't withstand it and fell, defeated. Giovanni was wide-eyed.

"What a fight…"

(End music)

Misty and Brock ran to their friend and hugged him.

"You've won, Ash! You're amazing!"

The kid blushed a little. Brock placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Misty is right. Your fight was impressive. And Giovanni was definitely a strong opponent."

Ash sighed.

"You have no ideas… I thought I was facing Sabrina again. But you're right, I won!"

Pikachu jumped in his arms. The boy hugged him and launched him in the air.

"We did it, Pikachu! We beat Giovanni!"

"Pika-pika!" (Hell yeah!)

Simon nodded.

"That was an incredible fight. I thought you would lose more than once. I don't think anyone gave father that much troubles."

"He is right." Giovanni smiled. "You were one of the strongest opponents I faced in my career. Here." He took a green tree-shaped badge. "This is the Earth badge. Wear it with pride, my son."

Ash flinched when Giovanni called him his son but accepted it nonetheless. He put the precious item with the seven others and watched them intensely. Eight badges… now he could enter the League Tournament. Giovanni took a second item. It was a blue poke-ball with a yellow V. Silver raised a brow.

"A Fast Ball?"

The Rocket Boss nodded.

"It contains a Pokémon I never really had time to raise. Seeing how strong Ash's Pokémon are, I have good hopes he will take better care of it than I do."

Ash took the ball and opened it. The creature within was a young Sandshrew that looked around in fear before immediately hiding. The boy was surprised. Giovanni, not so.

"This little girl is extremely shy. I think her Nature is Bashful. Take care of it. And congratulation."

Ash turned to him and nodded. He returned Sandshrew and clenched his fist with a smile.

"I can't believe I made it. Seriously."

"And I can't believe I lost to someone that young." His father smiled. "Your Pokémon are extremely well-trained and in perfect shape. You will go far, kid."

Silver nodded.

"He will, that's for sure. And now he has Aura Powers."

Simon came to his brother's side.

"I guess you're returning to Pallet Town now."

"Yes. I've been away for too long."

"Mind if I come with you, then? Delia and mom were good friends and I somewhat miss her."

To his surprise, Ash laughed.

"Of course you can come! You're my brother!"

As much as he didn't consider Giovanni his real father, he had no problems accepting the red-haired boy as his sibling. They headed to the Center to heal his Pokémon. Later, as they walked on the road, Silver turned to his student.

"Now that I think of it, you should give your new attack a name."

"My new attack?"

"Your thunder-charged tail."

Ash frowned. Thunder Tail had a nice sound but Volt Tail wasn't half-bad either. But no, not that. Lya had a similar attack that was Iron Tail covered in fire and was called Vulcan Hammer. Thunder Sword? No, not that. A memory came to his mind. One day, Silver had told him the tale of a man, the Legendary Craftsman, who made items like the World-Disk, the Mirror of Truth and the Reverse Key. Along his works were weapons based on the Legendary Pokémon. One of those weapons was a hammer called Mjöllnir, who had the ability to break anything and launch thunderbolts. Mjöllnir… Yep, that would be perfect.


	19. Home sweet home

I hear the wind call your name.  
It calls me back home again.  
It sparks up the fire, a flame that still burns.  
Oh it's to you I'll always return…  
I still feel your breath on my skin,  
I hear your voice deep within…  
The sound of my lover, a feeling so strong,  
It's to you - I'll always belong.  
[I will always return](https://youtu.be/crYGDqtTtho), Bryan Adams

Pallet Town was one day away from Viridian City, two if one took his time. Since most of the afternoon was behind them, the group decided they would sleep on the road. Ash had switched Charizard to have a room for Sandshrew. No matter how strong he was, the orange dragon had taken quite a beating from Gyarados and even Nurse Joy was unable to fully heal him. So he had sent it to the lab alongside Clefairy, who also needed rest from her fight with Machamp. The girl had talked to her Trainer about this and expressed her desire to evolve in order to grow in strength. As she had hoped, the boy didn't say no. In fact, he seemed even happy by her decision. Great minds think alike ...

Simon had quickly gotten acquainted with the rest of the group. Alongside his Sneasel was a Croconaw he had stolen from Team Rocket grunts... who had stolen it from Professor Elm's lab. The creature was a vicious one with powerful jaws and evil eyes. Another Pokémon of his was Murkrow, a crow-like creature he used for transport. Ash couldn't help but notice those Pokémon were Johto natives. Simon confirmed this.

"After I ran away from home because of my argument with Giovanni, I went to Johto and spent some time here. Sneasel is a gift from Father but I caught the others myself."

Ash nodded.

"Maybe I'll go to Johto too. I heard Ho-Oh and Lugia hailed from here, Ecruteak City to be exact."

Simon turned to him.

"You're interested in Legendary Pokémon?"

The boy nodded.

"Silver knows a lot about them. Also, as incredible as it sounds, I saw Ho-Oh after my fight with a Spearow flock. Silver was here too. Finally, there was the eruption of the volcano at Cinnabar Island."

He told him the events that led to the death and rebirth of the place and how Blaine caught Entei. Simon was impressed.

"That's incredible! You're a lucky guy, Ash."

"I wouldn't say so..."

They talked and talked until evening came and they settled for the night. Ash then told his brother about the incident at Grandpa Canyon.

"Charizard was totally out of control. Supersonic can confuse an opponent, so with Outrage ..."

"I heard about it. Some people say it was a nightmare. How did it end?"

"I tried to talk Charizard out of it but he attacked me so hard that I spent two months in a coma. I only managed to calm him using Lugia's Song. And it still earned me a scar."

He folded his shirt to reveal the long jagged line on his side. Simon winced.

"Ouch, that must've hurt."

"You have no ideas. Pikachu almost killed Charizard for that. This is why Charizard only uses Outrage when he has no option left ... like when he faced Gyarados."

Simon nodded. Now he understood the orange Pokémon better, as well as his brother. He talked with Brock about Pokémon breeding and with Misty on Water Pokémon. The girl was surprised to learn that Horsea, upon evolving into Seadra, could also evolve into Kingdra when traded with a Dragon Scale. He also told her about Politoed, an alternative final evolution to Poliwag. In exchange, Misty gave advices on how to better make use of Croconaw's type and abilities. Silver watched him from afar. The boy had grown since he last saw him. He was curious to see what he had become ...

Next morning saw the man and the two brothers inducing in the group's morning routine. Simon wasn't as enduring as Ash but did his best. After warming up, master and student spent a very short amount of time working on taichi and kapoeira to focus on Aura training. First, Silver had Ash and Simon sit down and close their eyes. The first step was to develop the different Aura Senses they had at their disposal. So the two were on the grass, trying to feel the Aura surrounding them.

"Aura is in everything, dead or alive, moving or inanimate. If you want to control it, you first have to sense it."

It was surprisingly easy. Simon had worked this skill since he discovered it and was used to it. Ash, however, was totally new to the idea. Yet, by remembering his previous experiences with Aura, he had no problems sensing the mystical energy. Silver smiled.

"Do you feel it? Do you feel the flow of Aura? Controling this flow is the basis of manipulating Aura. Now extend your hand and focus Aura in it."

The two obeyed. A tennis ball-sized sphere appeared in Simon's hand. Ash's sphere was as big as an orange.

"Perfect. Now play with it. I want you to get acquainted with the feeling of manipulating Aura."

Simon opened his eyes and made the sphere spin on his finger. Ash also opened his eyes and launched it softly like a regular ball.

"That's it. Try to be a little more daring."

Ash smiled and created a second Aura Sphere, then juggled with the two. Simon glanced at him and made his sphere run all over his arms. Finally, he made it spin faster and faster until tendrils of Aura came from it. Seeing this, Ash closed his eyes and made the spheres levitate around him. He sent one to Silver who caught it and sent it back. He then sent it to his brother who hesitantly held his hand to it. Silver nodded.

"Yes. Aura from living beings is different from the one lying in dead and inanimate objects. It changes when coming in contact with breathing things. The reason it hurts when thrown is that it doesn't have time to change or is too dense to do so." Simon was still wondering how he would grab the sphere. "Extend your own Aura to it. When you begin Aura training, it takes you time to 'assimilate' a foreign Aura. Go slowly, get familiar with it. Strength will only cause pain."

Invisible Aura tendrils came from the red head's hand and seized the sphere, bringing it to his hand. This Aura was familiar because he and Ash were siblings, meaning they were related. It helped speed the process. Once the Aura Sphere was under his control, the boy started to play with it and sent a ball to his brother. Ash held a hand and easily took control of it. Silver frowned. His pupil was surprisingly fast in assimilating his knowledge in the field. Brock and Misty finally awoke, signaling the end of the routine.

After breakfast, the group went back on the road. Pallet Town wasn't far at all now. Suddenly, the sky was covered by shadows.

"What's happening?" Simon asked, worried.

Ash closed his eyes.

"Pokémon, a lot of them." His eyes snapped open. "Pikachu, get ready! It's the Spearow Flock that attacked us after we left!"

At the mention of that damn flock, Pikachu's cheeks sparkled and Silver took his bow.

"If those damn birds attack us again, we know what we'll eat for lunch ..."

He got Blitz, Odin, Espera, Gaya, Riyo and Lya out. Ash did the same and took Pidgeot and Haunter. Misty and Brock got their Pokémon out while Simon wondered.

"They are really that bad?"

"You have no ideas." Silver replied. "I hope your Pokémon know some Ice attacks."

"Yes, Croconaw can use Ice Beam and Sneasel can do a little more."

"Perfect. Get them ready."

The Spearow fell on them, their beaks shining under the sun and dead-set on beating the group. The furious barrage that came from their victims turned their charge in a wild escape. Ash cheered.

"They're running away!"

"But they will come back." Silver growled. "More numerous, more organized. Those things are birds of prey, they are intelligent. Better be off when they're back."

The group started to run and reached a forest. The place was eerily silent, which was strange for a forest.

"This place gives me the creeps!" Misty whined. "Why is there no noise?"

"It seems the Pokémon have all left the place." Brock noticed. "That, or they are hiding."

Indeed, a couple of Raticate and their Rattata kids showed from between the roots of a tree. They looked totally scared. Sneasel came to them and started speaking. The Raticate answered, causing the black weasel to frown.

"Sneasel-sel..." (That's no good ...)

Pikachu went to his side.

"Pika-kachu, Chuka?" (Something wrong, Sneasel?)

"Snea. Sneasel'nea sneasel sneasel sel'snea. Sneaselsneasel sel sneasel'snea." (Yes. It's because of the Spearow flock. They're harassing the forest dwellers.) He frowned. "Sel-sneasel, sneasel-sel sel snea snea-sel selsel sneasel-el" (And the worst part, one of them has evolved into Fearow and taken command of the flock.)

Pikachu gulped.

"Pi-kachu ..." (Now that's bad...)

He quickly explained the problem to the group who started searching for a solution. Ash took an empty poké-ball and looked at it. Because he had sent Clefairy along with Charizard without getting another party member, he had an empty slot in his current team. Not that he thought he would need a full team to go back home.

"Say, if someone was to capture that Fearow, what would it do?"

Lya frowned.

"Now that they have a leader, the Spearow rely heavily on him. Catching him would cause the flock to disband, especially if we heavily attack them afterward."

Ash grinned.

"Then we got our answer."

Pidgeot came out of his poké-ball.

"Pidgeot, pidgeot-geot pi pipi pidgeot." (Ash, please let me challenge him.)

The boy raised a brow.

"I was planning on using Pikachu but alright. If you want to fight him, he's yours. But Pikachu will still watch your back in case something happens."

Pidgeot nodded. The group headed in the open field where the flock was resting. They all raised their head when the humans came to them and were surprised to see one of them come.

"Fearow!" He said courageously. "I challenge you!"

Fearow raised his long neck, glaring at the reckless kid who dared to face him. He snapped his beak before shouting a long "Feeeeaaaaroooow!" to the sky. Opening his wings, he took flight and looked haughtily at his young opponent. Not intimidated the slightest, Ash took a poké-ball and released Pidgeot. Fearow looked in disbelief. The kid would send a lowly dust-bather against him? Well, once he was done with the thing, he would eat his Trainer's eyes as a lunch. Ash raised his hand.

(Play [Cipher Peon Battle](https://youtu.be/xSdeJcWX14w), Pokémon XD - Gale of Darkness)

"Pidgeot, attack with Steel Wing!"

The big bird took flight at surprising speed and hit the bird of prey with surprisingly hard wings. Fearow shrieked. Who did he think he was? His body became covered with a white light and he rushed at his opponent. Ash frowned.

"Agility? Pidgeot, watch out!"

His Pokémon didn't need to be told. He knew very well Fearow was a dangerous foe. He flew with all the grace and dexterity he had acquired over time. Fearow launched several beak-based attacks. None of them hit. Yep, Pidgeot was fast for his size. Silver frowned.

"Most of Fearow's attacks are of the physical kind. His Attack stat must be strong."

"Attack stat? I can deal with it! Pidgeot, Featherdance!"

Pidgeot smiled. He knew he could count on his Trainer for this kind of tricks. Opening his wings, he made them glow white and sent a flurry of golden feather to his opponent. The Beak Pokémon got hit by each of them and lost a considerable amount of strength. He growled. Damn bastard … He charged wind in his wings and unleashed a series of sharp wind blades. One of them hit Pidgeot. Fearow grinned. His body glowed softly purple and he dived to his opponent to deliver a bone-shattering peck. Ash winced.

"What was that?"

"Assurance." His brother answered. "It hurts more when a previous attack landed."

Ash growled.

"That thing is starting to tick me off … Pidgeot, get up and use Sky Attack! No more mercy!"

Pidgeot stopped his fall, turned his body white and rushed to Fearow. The strength of the blow knocked the bird Pokémon off balance. After a perfect loop, Pidgeot came back and grabbed his opponent's wings. He flipped on himself and sent the creature straight to the ground, helping with a good Hurricane while he was at it. No holds barred, his Trainer said. Fine. He hated people like Fearow anyway. He finished with Giga Impact, which caused a crater in the ground. Ash nodded.

"Alright, he's mine! Poke-ball, go!"

The red and white sphere trapped Fearow inside itself and shook for at least five minutes before clicking. No matter how strong Fearow was, Pidgeot had given him a beating and even with his willpower, he was in no state to resist the spherical device. Ash took it and grinned.

"Who's the boss now, tough guy?"

From inside his prison, Fearow shrieked in defiance. Silver nodded.

"This new Pokémon of yours is strong-minded. I suggest you're careful around him …"

"Don't worry." The kid smiled. "Pikachu is strong enough to threaten Charizard and have the upper hand, so Pidgeot and Fearow (they wouldn't last long) … Furthermore, those two have a type disadvantage against him."

Simon couldn't help but smile. The group followed the road for two more hours and finally reached Pallet Town. Ash stretched and took a long breath.

"Waah! I had forgotten the air around Pallet Town is so pure!"

The dusty path was crossing the town and led straight to Oak's Lab. The village was small with barely a dozen of houses that included the Xanadu Nursery, the grocery store, an ironsmith and Delia's restaurant, the Traveler's Respite. Ash headed straight for the place. His home was located besides the restaurant and held a small garden on the right. Two Nidoran were playing in the field and a Mr. Mime was sweeping the doorsteps. Taking a key, the boy opened the small wooden gate. The Psychic Pokémon raised a brow as the Nidoran turned to him. A Venomoth came from a window.

"Venomoth?"

Ash smiled, remembering he had caught a couple of Nidoran and a Venomoth for his mother.

"Don't worry, Venomoth. We're not intruders."

The Poison Moth Pokémon flew around him and the group before returning inside the house. Ash went to the door, nodding quietly at Mr. Mime and knocked three times.

"Who's there?" A voice asked.

"Mom, it's me Ash! I'm back at last!"

The door flew open to reveal Delia. She was wearing a short-sleeved pink vest and a dark blue skirt under a long white apron.

"Ash! You're back!" She raised her head and saw the rest of the group. "And Silver too! And … Simon?"

Simon slowly came to the woman.

"It's been long, Aunt Delia."

Delia softly nodded.

"You're right. Last time I saw you, you were barely two."

In a swift move, she hugged the boy and her son. Surprised at first, both returned the gesture. Ash nested his head in the hollow of her neck.

"I missed you, mom."

"I missed you too, Ash."

She finally released them and looked at her son's traveling partners. Ash presented them.

"Mom, this is Misty and Brock. Misty wants to become a Water specialist and Brock wants to be a Pokémon Breeder."

The three saluted each other.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Ketchum."

"Nice to meet you too. Come inside…"

The place hadn't changed much in a year. The group took off their shoes and when Silver tried to remove his cape, the Venomoth came and took it, placing it on the hook. Delia turned to Simon.

"Simon, take your vest off. You must be too warm in it."

The teen obeyed, much to the group's surprise. Later, all of them were sitting around a table and a lunch made by Delia, Brock, Silver and the Mr. Mime was set in the middle. Ash had put his things in his room and released all of his Pokémon. Misty Brock and Simon had done the same and all were eating to their heart's content. The group was exchanging stories of the last events and Delia was telling them what had happened at home.

"The Pokémon you sent me are wonderful, dear! Lily and Theo always help me taking care of the garden and Vivi is a very reliable assistant."

"And the Mr. Mime? Where did you find it?"

"Mimey? He came one day at home and I let him inside. We quickly bonded and he decided to stay. Since Silver isn't there, he has taken his place when doing the chores and serving at the restaurant. He's so helpful!"

"Chuchu?"

Delia turned her head and saw Brock's female Pikachu. The girl was looking at the elder human with curiosity. Pikachu, who was eating with her, raised his head.

"Chuchu, pikapika-chu?" (Sunflower, is there anything?)

"Chu…" (Maybe…)

Delia nodded.

"This little Pikachu girl is cute. Who's her Trainer?"

"I am." Brock answered. "But, in fact, Sunflower is Pikachu's love interest. Ash didn't want to have two Pikachu in his team so since Sunflower didn't like to fight and I don't fight often, he let me have her. Between you and I, it would be more practical if she belonged to someone like you. When I'll leave Ash to return home, it will be harder for Pikachu and Sunflower to be together."

Delia smiled softly.

"Well… I could use a Pikachu at home. They are so cute!"

"Reminds me…" Ash said as he swallowed his food. "Mom, if you need anything, you can go to Professor Oak's lab and borrow my Pokémon. I'm sure they wouldn't mind since you're my mother."

Delia's face brightened.

"Thank you, dear! I'll be sure to take your advice."

"And Ash's Pokémon are all well-trained." Silver grinned. "With them, you won't have to fear burglars."

Ash chuckled.

"I want to see their head when they break in and find themselves before Haunter or a battle-ready Clefairy… Or when they meet Aerodactyl in the garden."

Misty giggled.

"I want to see that! Ten Pokédollars they'll run away screaming!"

Brock nodded.

"By the way, we didn't talk about your battle against Giovanni."

Delia raised her head, worry on her face.

"You faced Giovanni?"

Ash nodded and told her the events that led to the battle, as well as the battle itself. He took his case and showed her the eight badges and the Thunderstone. Delia's face darkened.

"So it happened. You know the truth. And… your Aura powers have awakened."

Silver noticed her mood swing.

"Delia, is there something wrong?"

"No. We'll talk about this once we're finished." She sighed. "Everyone in our family has Aura, but it's rare that they can control it. To think Ash can…"

They finished eating quietly, Ash talking about his Pokémon, how he completed the Eight Challenges and how Giovanni handled Gary. After that, they sat in a sofa and Delia took a series of items. The first was a very old book, the second was a pair of gloves, the third was a bow with a quiver of arrows and the last was the set of protections that went along.

"Delia …" Silver was looking intensely at her. "You knew about Ash's real inheritance, right?"

"Right … I used to belong to Team Rocket. As a scientist. Giovanni, Bruno, Esmeralda and I used to be very close. Bruno and I were married and Giovanni was my brother in law, just like Esmeralda was my sister in law. However, during a party, I spent a night with Giovanni because I was drunk."

"We know." Ash nodded. "Giovanni told us everything about that. He also said that there were Aura Users in his family. Simon himself can use Aura, but not as well as I do."

Delia sighed.

"Bruno… will never come back. He said he had to leave because he had to continue his journey as a Trainer, but I knew it was a lie. When he found out you weren't his child, he was angry, even though he tried to hide it. And he left."

Silver smiled.

"Don't worry about it. Ash made clear that neither Bruno nor Giovanni were his father to him."

"Right." Ash grinned. "That's you!"

Delia smiled kindly.

"A wise choice." She looked at the items. "Though Aura Users can be found in Giovanni's family line, the Ketchum bloodline counts more powerful Aura Guardians because of its origins." She opened the book "Here. The origins of our line are written in this book."

' _One hundred years ago, there was a man called Sir Aaron of Rota. He was a powerful Aura Guardian whose strength was great enough that people would mistake him for an Ancient. But Aaron was just a human. He had a Lucario who was studying Aura manipulation under his tutelage, as well as two children he conceived with Queen Rin. Those children were Helios and Selena. Though he was married to the queen, Aaron wasn't the king of Rota. He had turned down the title that came with his marriage to remain a humble knight and raise the twins._ '

' _One day, a war started between two neighboring kingdoms. Aaron mysteriously disappeared alongside Lucario no long after it started, and the only thing people found were his gloves and his scepter. Helios and Selena were young. The gloves and scepter were kept by Queen Rin until the two were on age. Holding to their father's legacy, both children could use Aura and were proficient with it. As she grew, Selena became restless. She sought to find out why her father had disappeared while her brother, like most people, believed he was a coward and he had fled. Taking a bow and her partner, a Togepi, she traveled to the legendary Tree of Life where her father was last headed. However, Helios didn't accept that. He forbade his sister from looking for their father and swore that he would exile her if she disobeyed. Selena's answer was to take Aaron's gloves and leave._ '

' _Selena never returned to Rota. No one knew if she found out what happened to Sir Aaron. But what is known is that she traveled across the world as an adventurer. Her partner soon evolved from Togepi to Togetic, and from Togetic to Togekiss. She became known as the Hunting Princess for her dexterity and tracking abilities, which were nothing but some of her Aura Powers. Just like she did, her descendants never returned to Rota. Her bow and the gloves of Sir Aaron were passed down from generation to generation and though it was less and less frequent that the gift of Aura manifested, it was still present. Those are the origins of the Ketchum bloodline._ '

Delia frowned.

"Ketchum is a derivation of *Catch them*, something the Ketchum family is well known for. We're good at catching things. The bow is only passed between female members of our line and only those with awakened Aura power can wear the gloves. As a woman, I can and do use the bow, but since I have no Aura powers, I don't wear the gloves." She held them to her son. "Take them. As an Aura Guardian, they belong to you."

Ash looked at the gloves. They were blue and elbow-long, with linear patterns on the sleeve and a big grey pearl atop the hand. Silver looked at them and raised a brow.

"Tech Gloves? How did he get them?"

Ash turned to him.

"What are Tech Gloves?"

"A kind of gloves only worn by Aura Guardians. They are their signature item, like the Pokédex is to Trainers and the Capture Styler is to Pokémon Rangers. They used to be made by the Ancients and so are more technologically advanced than most devices. I have Tech Gloves too."

He took a pair of black gloves with golden lines and a sapphire blue jewel. The man grinned.

"Their uses are countless. Aura channeling, long-range mean of communication, portative micro-computer…"

Ash's eyes widened.

"They can do all that?"

"Yes."

Delia frowned.

"I didn't know it."

Silver smiled.

"I suggest you keep them for later, when you are more advanced in the manipulation of Aura, before wearing them. Besides, they are too large."

Ash nodded. The pair was one size or two larger than his hands. He looked at his mother.

"So… you actually practice archery?"

"Yes. I capture Pokémon using poke-balls set on arrows. When you weren't looking, Silver and I used to have archery contests. And I did as well as he did."

The boy rose.

"Now that's something I want to see! Makes me wonder … how good are you at Pokémon battles?"

Silver laughed.

"Mother vs. son? I want to see that!"

Simon grinned.

"From what Giovanni told me, Delia was all but half-bad. You should be careful, little brother …"

The group went in the garden and Ash faced his mother.

"What are the rules?"

"Three vs. three with switching allowed. First without Pokémon loses."

"Fine… but some of my Pokémon are tired and I had no time to train Sandshrew. Can I make switches?"

"Sure!"

Ash raced to Oak's Corral. His Pokémon were all there. When she saw him, Poochyena jumped in his arms and cleaned his face with huge licks. The boy laughed.

"Nice, Poochyena! Nice! I'm happy to see you too. You're lucky, I was just looking for you."

Tyrogue also came and bowed as a salute. Ash grinned.

"Hello too, Tyrogue. Feeling better?"

The small Pokémon nodded. Ash made a sign.

"Come. I have a fight incoming and I'd like to have your help."

Tyrogue grinned widely. His Trainer left Pidgeot, Spearow, Sandshrew and Bulbasaur at the corral and returned home. From the window, the old Professor had seen everything. He decided to follow the boy and his friends and so arrived at the Ketchum house, just in time to see the boy and his mother start fighting.

(Play [Pokémon Trainer Battle](https://youtu.be/4Tk483p2zCk), Pokémon XD - Gale of Darkness)

Delia whistled and the female Nidoran came to her side.

"Lily, go!"

Ash grinned.

"Poochyena, I choose you!"

Nidoran immediately started to growl and rattle. Poochyena was surprised by this behavior. Ash, not so much.

"Rivalry. This is not gonna help. Well, after beating a Ninetales, I guess a Nidoran shouldn't be much of a problem. Poochyena, start with Shadow Ball!"

"Lily, Double Team!"

The blue Nidoran divided herself into multiple reflections of herself. The ghostly sphere hit a reflection, causing Poochyena to be disturbed. One of the Nidoran jumped in her back, her fangs glowing purple, and bit her hard. Poochyena yelped and bucked. Her spinning brought her in Lily's back. Grinning, the hyena girl opened her jaws and delivered a powerful Crunch on her opponent. Lily let go and jumped away, glaring at her rival. Both Pokémon threw daggers at each other before running. Lily had Head Smash charged while Poochyena was going for Hyper Fang. Suddenly, in full mid-charge, the female Nidoran's body glowed. When the light faded, she was bigger and more feral with spikes on her back. Poochyena froze and growled, her entire fur standing. Ash nodded in respect.

"Wow! That was totally unexpected. Well done, Mom."

Poochyena took a few steps back, uneasy. She staggered and hiccupped, causing her Trainer to frown and his mother to grin.

"Lily, Venoshock!"

The Nidorina threw a green beam that hit the girl dead on. She helped and fell to her side, seriously poisoned. When she rose, her opponent was going at her with Shadow Claw. She didn't have the strength to avoid the hit. Ash frowned when the dust settled to reveal her defeat.

"Poochyena, return. You did your best."

Silver nodded.

"Not so helpless, is she?"

His student nodded.

"Definitely not. Poochyena shouldn't have been defeated so easily. And Tyrogue definitely won't."

The young Fighting type jumped. Simon frowned.

"Nidorina is resistant to Tyrogue's Fighting attacks. This is going to be hard … and Tyrogue's move set is limited"

"I'm still gonna win." His brother retorted. "And if I don't win, I'll still show Mom this journey wasn't for nothing."

"Definitely not." Silver grinned. "Charizard or Clefairy would have whipped the floor with any of Delia's Pokémon in a one vs. five contest."

Tyrogue had run against Nidorina and delivered a Hi Jump Kick that collided against Poison Tail. Both Trainers were grinning. Lily went for Skull Bash, Tyrogue for Brick Break … and staggered in mid-race. Delia nodded.

"Perfect! Now Veno-"

She couldn't finish her sentence. Tyrogue's body glowed red and his muscles grew a little. Ash grinned.

"Guts activated! Tyrogue, Bulk Up and Rock Smash!"

Already increased by Guts, Tyrogue's strength grew even greater. When he launched Rock Smash, a distinct 'Crack!' sound was heard. Lily then crumpled, defeated. Delia was stunned, much to her son's delight.

"Well, who's laughing now Mom?"

Delia looked at her son. Silver was right, he had grown stronger. Oak nodded. This fight was interesting.

"Theo, go!"

The male Nidoran immediately jumped before his Trainer. As soon as he did, his body glowed and he evolved into Nidorino. Tyrogue growled and took a stance. Both Pokémon faced one another…

"Theo, Horn Attack!"

"Tyrogue, Low Sweep!"

The young Fighting Pokémon jumped at the moment Horn Attack was going to strike and landed behind his opponent. Swiftly rotating, he delivered a whip-kick to the Poison Pin Pokémon. Theo howled in pain and turned, Poison Jab ready. Tyrogue ducked, gave a good Brick Break in his jaw and back-flipped away. Delia growled.

"Theo, Drill Run!"

His horn glowing, Theo ran … and was sent off course by his opponent's rotating kick. His Trainer decided to switch tactics.

"Theo, use Dig!"

Silver chuckled softly while Simon frowned and Ash grinned. The Poison Pokémon was a goner. He waited some time before giving his order.

"Tyrogue, use your strongest Brick Break on the ground!"

Delia gasped, understanding his son's technique. He wanted to make a replica of Earthquake! The strike shook the whole place. Rock rose from the ground, carrying the defeated Nidorino. Ash raised a fist.

"And won again!"

His mother chuckled.

"This was very well done of you, Ash. You have grown a lot during your journey. Vivi, it's your turn!"

The Venomoth flew before his Trainer. Ash smiled.

"Wanna continue, Tyrogue?"

The baby Pokémon shook his head and retreated. His Trainer nodded.

"Haunter, here you go!"

Delia frowned. Her son's Pokémon was resistant to both Poison and Bug attacks. It was going to be hard…

"Haunter, start with Dark Pulse!"

"Vivi, Counter with Signal Beam!"

The multicolored beam hit the darker one and fought with it before both faded. Ash frowned. If the Venomoth knew Psychic Attacks, he was in troubles. Well, no choice.

"Haunter, Confuse Ray!"

The confusing wave struck just as Vivi was launching Confusion. The status effect caused him to attack himself with the move, which was a bad thing because of his secondary Poison type. Delia gasped before whistling strongly. It was all her Pokémon needed to recover, but the deed was done. Ash grinned.

"Let's finish this! Dark Assault!"

Haunter flew to his opponent and harassed him with shadowy claws. Vivi crumbled, defeated.

(End music)

Delia nodded.

"Phew, looks like I need some catching up! You did wonderfully, Ash. I am proud of you, as a son and a Trainer."

"Thanks, Mom. You weren't half-bad at all either. I never expected you to defeat Poochyena."

"Indeed, that was a good fight."

Everyone turned to see Professor Oak walking inside. Silver waved to him.

"It's been long, Professor."

"Indeed, Silver. I saw Ash retrieving some of his Pokémon and was curious to see what's going on. I sure didn't expect to see him battling Delia, who's still a formidable Trainer after this time."

The woman chuckled.

"Ash sure gave me a run for my money. Why don't we return inside? I always keep potions and healing items for Pokémon."

Professor Oak followed the group inside and looked at Simon.

"Delia, who is this kid? I don't think I've met him before…"

Delia, Silver and Ash looked at one another, a devious grin on their face, and nodded.

"This boy, Professor…" Ash grinned hugely. "Is my elder brother, Simon."

Oak stood dumbfounded for a moment.

"Your … elder brother? But Delia only had you! I was here when you were born!"

Simon shook his head, amused by his younger sibling's antics.

"Elder brother is only part of the truth. Ash and I have only one relative in common: our father."

"And this man is Giovanni Rocket." Silver added.

Upon hearing that, Oak fell on the sofa, shaken.

"Holy … Holy God, how is that possible?"

Delia told him about her past among Team Rocket and the events that led to her leaving the organization. Ash finished with his encounter with Giovanni, the discovery of his origins and the awakening of his powers and finally, his battle against the Last Challenge. He showed the old professor the eight badges in the wooden case. Oak sighed.

"I can't believe it … Only ten and yet, not only you are an Aura Guardian but you also managed to defeat the Eight Challenges! I wish Gary was more like you… but the fact is still here that he got ten badges and over two hundred Pokémon."

Ash gasped.

"What? That much?!"

Simon shook his head.

"That's insane. What is he gonna do with them?"

"He usually leaves them at the Corral. Why don't we go there? He arrived yesterday visibly shaken and tired, mumbling something about a strange Pokémon that robbed him from the victory…"

"The kid needed to have his big ego brought down. I don't exactly know what Giovanni had in mind, but he did a fairly good job doing that. Arceus, Oak, you should have seen… Wait, I recorded it! That and Blaine's fight. They were totally epic, seriously."

They came to the man's lab and headed for his home. Not to their surprise, Gary was here, drinking tea. He raised a brow when seeing Ash and his friends.

"Took you long enough." The kid growled. "Well, how was your fight? I bet you didn't last three seconds against Giovanni…"

Silver grinned.

"Give me a minute and you'll know."

Silver's Tech Gloves also served as a camera. He transferred the content to a small DVD and placed the disk in the player. Soon, Ash's fight appeared on the screen. Gary, Oak and Delia were dumbfounded. Oak and his grandson looked at one another, speechless.

"Alright." The man said with a shaky voice. "Now I understand why Gary and Ash will be the only ones who will challenge the Indigo League."

"The others didn't make it?" Ash turned to him. "Leaf, Angelo…"

"They couldn't get enough badges despite their excellent start. You and Gary were the only ones who managed to reach the required number… You are also the only ones to have the right level of skill to enter the Conference."

"Not yet." The boy growled.

Oak raised a brow.

"Really?"

"Yes. All of my Pokémon aren't ready. When is the Conference?"

"In three months. Why?"

The boy looked at his hand.

"This is gonna be short…"

Gary huffed.

"You would have never made it this far without Silver. If you only travelled with your two friends, you'd still be a loser like Leaf and Angelo."

Ash turned angrily to him.

"If Silver hadn't been there, I would have never come back! He saved my life many times …"

"That makes things worse."

Ash clenched his fist. The last thing he liked was hearing someone insult his mentor.

"Silver is my father, more than Bruno or Giovanni! If you insult him one more time I'm gonna…"

"You're going to do what? Send your Pokémon after me? They are strong, but I have two hundred more than you. Quality is nice, but quantity can do just fine at time, Ashie- _boy_."

Silver shivered as Ash's body started to glow with an ominous blue light. At a blinking speed, Ash jumped, his fist raised, and punched his rival in the jaw. Gary was caught totally off guard. He was trying to rise but Ash seized him and pinned him to the wall, murder in his eyes.

"There's a lot of things I can forgive, but not these two: that someone insults my family and my friends or threaten them. You just insulted not only the only man I call my father, but also my Pokémon who went through Heaven and Hell to bring me to where I am now. I _will not_ let you offend them _any longer!_ "

Gary gasped. His rival was dead serious and he could feel the aggressiveness oozing from him. Oak was looking at the two, wide-eyed.

"What happened to Ash?"

"He grew a spine." Silver simply answered. "And a big one. But there are limits to respect."

He came to the boy and placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Ash, calm down. If you want to face Gary, do it like the Trainer you are, not like a street kid."

Ash's breath slowed down and he finally released his rival.

"Not today. My Pokémon need time to recover. I'll give them the week-end and then start training with those who need it the most." He looked at the place. "I need some air. Gary makes me want to murder him and I don't want to hurt Professor Oak."

On this, he left, Pikachu on his shoulder.

"You're lucky he just punched you." Silver said to Gary. "An Aura Sphere in the stomach is way more painful."

Gary massaged his painful jaw. He hadn't expected his old childhood friend to be that strong. Looks like Ash was actually a threat to him now. He was just oblivious to how much.


	20. Training the body, training the mind

Tranquil as a forest  
But on fire within,  
Once you find your center  
You are sure to win.  
You're a spineless, pale  
Pathetic lot  
And you haven't got a clue.  
Somehow I'll make a man out of you  
[I'll make a man out of you](https://youtu.be/elBKil5zE2g), Mulan

Ash went straight to the corral and leaned on a fence, his arms crossed, steaming.

"That damn cheeky boy Gary! How dare he insult Silver or my Pokémon? He never defeated me during our journey and there wasn't a single thing he did I was unable to do! Well, of course, I don't have ten badges and two hundred Pokémon. So what? My Pokémon are stronger than his and my badges belong to the Eight Challenges! Can he say the same? No! So why does he keep boasting he's better than me? That damn son of a..."

Pikachu closed his ears. Ash was really mad this time. He could sense his Aura almost physically so he jumped down and waited a little away. A certain pink ball passed by at that moment.

"Clefairy?"

Ash turned and saw the steadfast Fairy Pokémon. Growling, he looked away. Clefairy raised a brow and turned to Pikachu.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"What's wrong with him?"

"He and Gary got in an argument." The electric mouse sighed. "Ash punched him and pinned him on the wall. I've never seen him that mad since we started our journey. And now his Aura Powers make it twice as bad..."

Clefairy looked at her Trainer.

"He needs something to vent his anger. You said he has Aura Powers, right? Actually, I was only at Viridian for the fight and didn't get to see it. Is he good at it?"

"No, but he learns fast."

A grin crossed the girl's face.

"Then I know what to do."

(Auto-translator: OFF)

She turned to her Trainer and tucked his sleeve. Ash turned to her, surprised. Clefairy led him to a part of the corral filled with training tools. Several of the boy's Pokémon were working in the area, the others being most likely in the different sectors built especially for their types. Tyrogue was stretching his legs, Charizard was working his Blast Burn on the water and Poochyena was teething on a branch of oak. Pidgeot was helping Aerodactyl work his aerial agility and Bulbasaur was comforting Sandshrew, who was looking around in confusion and fear. Clefairy went to a six-feet rock covered with marks of punches and kicks. Tyrogue saw them and waved to them. Ash grinned weakly and answered. The young Pokémon raised a brow. He wasn't used to his Trainer being in such a bad mood.

(Ash, is there something wrong?)

Because he saw him more as a comrade than a Trainer, Tyrogue always called him by his name rather than Master, Boss or anything else. No one minded. Ash had a sad smile.

"Gary said something that really drove me mad, that's all."

Pikachu rolled his eyes. If only that were true ... Clefairy came to the rock and showed it to her master. The boy examined it.

"There's a lot of marks in it. Is it where you two train?"

Tyrogue nodded. Clefairy clenched her fists and chained a series of punches before inviting her Trainer to do the same. Ash raised a brow and looked at the rock. Tyrogue nodded.

(Do it too. It will make you feel better.)

Nodding, Ash balled his fist and hit the rock. Though the pain made him wince, the feeling that ran all through his arm made him feel ... relieved. He grinned and looked at Clefairy, who had charged a Fire Punch. His grin turned into a smirk. Now that he had Aura, he could use attacks similar to that of Pokémon. And actually, there were Pokémon who were actually using Aura such as Lucario and Togekiss. He channeled Aura in his fist and punched the rock. The Aura protected his hand and left a slightly noticeable mark in the granite. Pikachu grinned and charged Mjöllnir while Tyrogue readied Brick Break in his foot. They spent the next quarter hitting the rock until Ash was panting.

"You were right. I do feel better now."

He noticed that all of his Pokémon were watching him. Half-smiling, he made an Aura Sphere. Haunter smiled and led him to poles holding several targets of different sizes and situations. He made a Shadow Ball and threw it to a target, hitting bulls eyes. Ash grinned. After the strength, time to work on the accuracy. He threw his Aura Sphere like he threw a poké-ball. The shot was totally off target. That made him gasp ... and caused a collective laugh among his Pokémon. Their Trainer wasn't even able to hit a target! Well, better remedy that, right? Haunter pushed him on his arms, telling him to try again. This is exactly what the boy did. Ten times he threw and Aura Sphere at the targets. Ten times he failed. Charizard rolled his eyes and chuckled. He stood by the boy, made a Blast Burn in his hands and threw it to a target, hitting. Tyrogue pushed his friend.

(Do as he does. Your technique works on poké-balls, but not on energy spheres. It's easier this way.)

Ash nodded in understanding. He made a bigger Aura Sphere he held in his hands and launched it at a target like Charizard had done. It hit the edge.

"Not totally that, is it?"

Clefairy kindly elbowed him. When she started practicing Solar Beam, she didn't hit all the times either. Together with his Pokémon, Ash trained his powers. From afar, Silver and the group were watching.

"He's doing rather fine." Simon noticed. "My Aura Powers have nothing to his, but I still use them better than he does."

"Because he's new to them." Silver smiled. "He'll get better over time. Actually, you have quite a few years of experience behind you, kiddo."

Delia cooed.

"He is so cute training alongside his Pokémon like this!"

Oak smiled.

"Those Aura Powers of his have indeed had a surprising side effect. He can now train alongside his Pokémon."

"And so strengthen the bond they share." Brock noticed. "Ash has often valued his bond with his Pokémon."

"You're right." Misty grinned. "He often places them before himself."

"And it extends to us too." Silver grinned. "Remember his Aura Shield covered us all, even Gary and his cheerleaders. No hard feelings."

Out of breath and strength, Ash had put a stop to his training. Clefairy said something that made Pikachu and Aerodactyl laugh. Tyrogue translated.

(They said you get exhausted fast compared to them.)

Ash rolled his eyes.

"I know. When I made that Aura Shield to protect Misty, Brock and Silver, I fainted no long after."

Charizard growled.

(You'll have to work on your stamina.)

The boy shrugged.

"We have three months before the Indigo Conference starts. It isn't much so we're going to make full use of this place. Be ready for a tight schedule ..."

Poochyena yelped happily. Many Pokémon joined her and cheered in their own way, more than ready to take on the challenge. Ash covered his hand with Aura. His Pokémon wouldn't be the only ones to train ...

The following days seemed to go in a blink. Delia had set a second bed for Simon in Ash's room, leaving Misty and Brock sleep in the guest rooms. Also, Brock had given the ex-scientist Sunflower, who quickly adapted to her new home. Silver shifted to his regular blue jeans and white shirt as a sign he was no more in a journey, at least for now. Misty and Simon decided to train alongside their friend. There was a cliff half an hour of Pallet Town and a small beach nearby. The place was perfect for training Water Pokémon. This is where Goldeen evolved into Seaking and Simon caught a Horsea he kept, since its evolution was related to trading.

Silver and Ash had divided the day into two parts. In the morning, the two worked on Aura Manipulation. A blindfold on his eyes, the boy was working on Aura Vision and Tracking. Aura Vision merely consisted into seeing through the blindfold, which was rather easy and gave a sight akin to a photo negative, and dodging the attacks Silver assaulted him with. Easy at first, it had quickly become a challenge after Silver discovered he had no real problem seeing the blows coming two seconds before they struck. Simon, who would often join them, was better at the trick and could see a kick five seconds before it came. Needless to say Ash called that cheating.

"That's simply unfair! If you can see a move before it's made, you can counter it so easily it leaves no room for your opponent to retaliate effectively."

"But it's still got its use." Simon remarked.

"Yes, but don't count on me to use it in a fair fight, especially if it's a Pokémon Battle."

This set the matter. For Aura Tracking, the boy played hide-and-seek with his Pokémon and those of the Corral. Though it was easy to differentiate the Pokémon by their types, when it came to finding a Tauros in the middle of Kangaskhan with only the Tracker, it was something else entirely.

The afternoon was dedicated to Pokémon training. The Pokémon was divided into two teams. The first was made with the strongest of them and worked on perfecting their already lethal move set. This group was made of Charizard, Bulbasaur, Haunter, Clefairy, Tyrogue, Butterfree, Aerodactyl and Pidgeot. The other was made of Poochyena, Sandshrew, Fearow, Squirtle and Jigglypuff, with Pikachu to watch over them and serve as second in command to his friend. Ash focused on this one, living to his title of Trainer by training them to the bone ... when he wasn't encouraging them by training at their side. Soon, several things happened.

From the beginning, Fearow outright refused to obey. It had been clear that he didn't like his Trainer despite the defeat Pidgeot gave him. But Ash wasn't one to be stopped by such thing. So he came to the Pokémon.

"Fearow, why are you so stubbornly set on not obeying?"

"Fear-fear? Fearow! Fear-row'ow fearow row-fear fearow!" (Obeying you? Never! I will never lower myself to obey a silly little hatchling like you!)

"I may be a hatchling, but I'm still your Trainer, meaning you have to obey me. That's what Pokémon Law says, right? When a Pokémon is caught by a Trainer, he can only leave him if the Trainer mistreats him. So far, I treated you well."

Because of the bond he shared with his friends, Ash was knowledgeable about Pokémon Law. But he usually kept it to himself as very few humans knew about these rules, preferring to consider Pokémon as animals rather than the semi-intelligent creatures they were.

"If they had the mean and the will ..." Silver once said as a joke. "They could have built a civilization already."

Fearow looked away. The boy had a valid point.

"Fear! Fearow-fearow row, rowfear row." (Still! You may have caught me, but don't count me in.)

Ash sighed.

"This is getting nowhere. Fearow, for the last time, listen!"

"Fearow!" (Never!)

The kid face-palmed.

"You're impossible."

"Row fearow." (And proud of it.)

His argument with the bird had annoyed him so he went to the training field and started to kick and punch the stone. Clefairy saw him.

"Clefairy!"

Ash turned.

"Clefairy? Is there something?"

The girl held her hands in a cup with a pleading look. Ash suddenly remembered she wanted to evolve, something his return home made him forget.

"Oh, right. That. Silver, you have a Moon Stone?"

The man came to him.

"I thought you would never remember. Here."

He held a small jewel. Ash gave it to Clefaiy who gladly took it. In a flash of light, her body grew until she reached her Trainer's elbow. When it faded, the girl was a Clefable.

"Clefafable!" (I feel better!)

Pikachu joined her.

"Pika-pikachu!" (Congratulation!)

Clefable grinned.

"Clefa! Clefa-fa clefable!" (Thank you! I feel stronger already!)

She turned to the water and unleashed a strong Fire Blast. Ash gulped.

"I can't wait to use her in battle ..."

The attack was followed by Thunder and Blizzard. A Hyper Beam hit the water soon after. Silver chuckled like a maniac.

"I want to see the head of your opponents when you defeat them with a pink chibi fairy."

"Faclefable?" (What did you said?)

Pikachu took a step back at the girl's menacing tone and evil glare. Right, the girl was a tomboy. After all, you don't see Clefairy make push-ups everyday ...

"Ash!"

The boy and his mentor turned to see a girl with long brown hairs, a short red skirt and a white tank top coming their way. The boy was surprised.

"Leaf?"

The girl finally reached the field, panting.

"I just learned ... that you came back. Did you ... make it through your journey?"

"Yeah."

They turned to see the kid's Pokémon all watching her. On a sign, they gathered around their Trainer.

"Guys, this is Leaf Green. She's an old friend of mine."

Leaf looked at them in awe.

"Wow! They look so cool and tough! There's been rumors around that you beat the eight best Gym Leaders of Kanto and even managed to defeat Gary. Is that right?"

"Yep. I even beat Giovanni. And it wasn't easy."

Then Leaf's eyes set on Clefable.

"Wah! You even have a Clefable! I wanted to have one so badly but I couldn't find it ... Yours looks so cute!"

"Clefa- _fa!_ " (I'm not _cute!_ )

Ash had a mareepish grin.

"Sorry, Clefable is a huge tomboy. She doesn't like being called cute or when people underestimate her. Actually, she beat Giovanni's Machamp during our battle."

"Oh ..."

Leaf seemed disappointed. Jigglypuff came to her with Poochyena. The girly girl caressed them.

"They are nice. Jigglypuff especially. I have one too."

"What Pokémon do you have?" Silver asked.

"Ivysaur, who is my starter, Jigglypuff, Abra, Butterfree, Growlithe and a Vaporeon."

"A rather balanced team, speaking about types. How far did you make it?"

Leaf lowered her eyes.

"Vermillion City. Lt. Surge totally trashed me. I managed to get a badge at Lazuli Town, but that's all."

"Do you plan on continuing as a Trainer?" Ash asked.

"No. I'll stay in Pallet Town and work with Dad at the nursery. You and Gary are lucky."

As he worked with her a lot, Ash managed to raise Poochyena's level. Angelo wasn't as distraught as Leaf by his failure. He swore he would start again the next year and gladly accepted to work with Ash. Blonde like the sun, with shining cyan eyes and soft features, the boy looked almost like an angel. He usually wore a white shirt with a sleeveless leather jacket and white pants. He was totally amazed to learn that Ash had Aura Powers.

"No, seriously man! I thought that stuff was that of legends! And yet you use it on a daily basis! That's incredible!"

Angelo's Pokémon were Charmeleon, Electrabuzz, Tauros, Beedrill, Jolteon and Victreebel. Butterfree was happy to teach Beedrill some tricks up his wings and, after several days, Charmeleon evolved into an enthusiastic Charizard. During a training session, Poochyena managed to beat Jolteon, Beedrill and Victreebel one after the other. Ash nodded and made her change groups. She was ready for the Conference.

One morning, Butterfree flew happily to the place where Ash, Silver and Simon were training. Simon raised a brow.

"What's with him?"

Butterfree made them signs to follow him and, after some reluctance from the three humans, led them to a nest in a small tree. Bubble was here. When the group came, she flew away to reveal three green and white eggs. Under the group's amazed eyes, the eggs hatched and three Caterpie emerged from the shell. One of them was pink instead of green. Ash turned to his partner.

"Congrats!"

After talking with Professor Oak, it was decided that the three Caterpie would stay with their parents. And if a predator, say a Pidgey, were to try and pick up on the kids, he would be in serious troubles. With both parents being trained Pokémon ...

Brock soon discovered not all of his Pokémon liked being inactive for too long. As he was caring for them, the Breeder noticed his Kabuto had gone missing. This disturbed him for a while ... until he went to the Training Area asking Ash if he had seen him and saw the Fossil Pokémon racing Squirtle in the pond.

"Yes." The boy confirmed. "Kabuto came some time ago and started practicing with us. To what Tyrogue understood, he enjoys fighting quite a bit."

Brock frowned.

"I don't really like making Pokémon battle ..."

"But to keep your Pokémon healthy, you have to provide them with some form of activity." Silver remarked.

The Breeder nodded. Silver had taught him countless things about caring for Pokémon. He respected his opinion and decisions.

"Alright. I'll be back soon."

He came back some time later with Geodude and Zubat. Onix and Vulpix were fine simply being pampered. The two others, however, quickly accepted when their Trainer offered them some training. Ash gladly included the poisonous bat and the rock creature in the Beginner's Group.

Two weeks went by. Thanks to their hard work, two Pokémon evolved. The first was Simon's Croconaw, which evolved into Feraligatr. The second was Geodude himself, who evolved into Graveller. Brock was happy with it, until he received a call.

"Brock speaking." He answered the phone.

The voice that came was very familiar to him.

"Big brother? I have good news."

Brock's face warmed up.

"Forrest? It's been long!"

"Who's Forrest?" Simon asked.

"My younger brother. He's born just after me. How's it going, Forrest?"

"Perfectly. Dad's doing a good job at the Gym. He managed to make Rhyhorn evolve into Rhydon but now, he wants to make him evolve into Rhyperior. Problem is, Rhyhorn evolves by trade."

Brock was silent a moment. Graveller came to him, sensing his Trainer's worry.

"Gra?"

The elder man looked at his Pokémon.

"Evolve by trade, huh? Graveller, are you interested? If I trade you with Rhydon, you will both evolve into your final forms ..."

"Graveller!" (Gladly!)

Brock nodded.

"Forrest, I know what we can do. Come to Pallet Town with Rhydon. You'll trade him for Graveller so both will evolve and everyone'll be happy."

"Alright, I'm coming."

He reached the town three days later. The group was waiting for him.

"Welcome to Pallet Town!" Ash greeted.

Forrest turned to him.

"Ash, I remember you. You fought against Big Brother for the Boulder badge. Your first fight against Onix was amazing."

"And it's nothing compared to his more recent battles." Misty grinned.

They went to the trading machine in Oak's lab. Simon turned to the kid.

"Do you have a Protector? Rhydon won't evolve if you don't give him a Protector."

Forrest had thought of it. Holding the item, Rhydon was exchanged with Graveller. When Brock opened the poké-ball, a huge grey rhino with orange armor appeared. His brother had a reptile protected by a spherical ball of solid rock. The two nodded.

"Operation successful."

They made another trade so the Pokémon were with their rightful owners.

"Dad will be very happy. Rhyperior looks deadly." He looked at his brother. "Did you meet an interesting Pokémon during your journeys?"

Brock turned to his friends and grinned. Later, Forrest was watching in awe the three fossil Pokémon before him.

"Wow! Now _that_ is something!"

Kabuto came to him and rubbed his top on the boy's jeans while Omanyte waved a tentacle. Aerodactyl nuzzled him and sniffed him before nodding. Forrest caressed his neck.

"His hide is soft and warm, just like marble under the sun."

Ash turned to him.

"Hey, how 'bout a ride on his back?"

The next minute, the two were flying on the prehistoric creature. Aerodactyl had a smooth flight full of grace and ease. No matter how daring his stunts, he was always careful to keep the two on his back. Then Silver decided to spice things up and had Lya use Fire Spin. Aerodactyl grinned. He dived headfirst in the flame tunnel and crossed it like a rocket. None of his passengers were burned. Next Squirtle launched Bubble Beam on him. Here again, the stone pterodactyl dodged the attacks with agility before landing. Forrest jumped from it.

"That. Was Amazing! Downright cool! I can't wait to try again!"

Silver grinned.

"It's been a month since you started training for the Conference and you've made great progress, especially with Sandshrew and Poochyena. You deserve a good reward."

"What kind of reward?" Ash asked, stars in his eyes.

"Well ... I heard there's a movie called Guardians of the Sky Kingdom. It's a nice film from what I heard."

So the group went on Pidgeot, Aerodactyl, Odin and Charizard. Flying was perfect to reach Cerulean City in but a few hours, just in time to get the tickets before it started.

The movie was great. It was about a young Pidgey, Soar, who lived in a forest with his family. But one day, Spearow captured him and reduced him as a slave, only for Soar to escape and stumble upon a terrible secret: the Spearow Empire was planning to invade the peaceful but powerful Sky Kingdom ruled by King Sunfire and his wife, Queen Icywind. Together with a wise old Charizard, a slightly crazy Farfetch'd and a Scyther mercenary, Soar reached the kingdom in time and warned the royal couple about the attack. A battle ensured during which Soar became a Pidgeotto and defeated Lord Ironbeak the Cruel, right-hand man of Emperor Darkstorm. Later, King Sunfire made the boy and his friends Sky Guardians, the elite fighters of the Sky Kingdom.

When they went out of the cinema, Ash had a bright smile on his face.

"The film was so cool! I totally loved Soar. He reminds me of Pidgeot."

"I prefer Swiftbladed the Scyther." Simon grinned. "Because he never loses his quiet."

"Well I found Loonyhead fun." Forrest cheered. "He was funny with his antics! At a moment, when he imitates a soldier with his leek ..."

"Queen Icywind was beautiful, even for an Articuno." Misty said with mirth in her eyes. "And Sunfire's flames were big! Are all Moltres like that?"

"No." Silver answered. "The movie makers exaggerated them a bit to make him more majestic. Personally, I liked how Blazemouth was played. His voice actor has real skills. And I like his role in the story as Soar's mentor. And you, Brock?"

The Breeder grinned.

"I liked all of them. But you're right, Misty. Queen Icywind was cute …"

His face reddened, causing Misty and Ash to sigh. Brock and his taste for women … A man suddenly appeared before them, causing the group to jump.

"Who's that?" Forrest almost screamed.

Ash frowned.

"I've seen that man in Saffron City before … You're Sabrina's father, right?"

"Right. I've come on the behalf of my daughter."

"What's wrong, Mr. LeFay?" Silver asked.

The man frowned.

"Sabrina requests your help in an important crisis that occurred but a few days ago."

"An important crisis?" Simon asked.

"Right. The Silph Company headquarters that stands in the middle of Saffron City … it has been attacked by Team Rocket."


	21. Crisis at Saffron City

Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)  
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)  
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)  
Face it all together

Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)  
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)  
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)  
Face it all together  
At Skyfall  
[Skyfall](https://youtu.be/DeumyOzKqgI), Adele

Sabrina's father teleported the group at Saffron City, or more exactly its outskirts. Once here, the six looked around.

"What's happening?" Misty asked.

"What I said." The psychic growled. "Team Rocket has targeted the Headquarter of Silph Co. And to make sure no one disturbed them, after defeating Sabrina, they put a psychic barrier around the city."

Indeed, the city was covered by a crystalline dome. The man led them to a small tent where several persons were gathered. There was Sabrina and her Kadabra, now an Alakazam, Surge and his Raichu, Erika and her Gloom, Koga and Crobat and finally Giovanni and Persian, to everyone's surprise. Somehow, Sabrina seemed exhausted. She looked at her father.

"You managed to find them. Thank you, father."

"Why are you gathered here?" Brock asked.

Surge sighed.

"We came to find a way to break this barrier. But we're not complete yet. Blaine is missing."

Not three seconds later, the hot-headed scientist was here, riding Entei.

"Thank you, my friend. Without your incredible speed, I would have never made it this fast."

The Fire Legendary kindly growled. Erika raised a brow.

"So the rumors were true. The eruption of Cinnabar was powerful enough to give birth to an Entei."

Giovanni turned to Sabrina.

"Sabrina, please explain what happened before we arrived."

The Gym Leader sighed and looked away.

"They took me by surprise. I was teaching a group of very promising students when I felt a disturbance in town. It came from the Silph building so I came here with Haunter and Alakazam. Those Rocket Rebels you told us about, it was them. I quickly got rid of those who were in my path alongside some other Trainers, but they decided I was too troublesome to they took extreme measures."

"What extreme measures?" Blaine asked.

Sabrina shivered.

"They sent the Legendary Bird trio against me. I had only Haunter and Alakazam with me and they were already exhausted. I didn't last long. And as if it wasn't enough, the members of the Gym I defeated many years ago joined their side. Damn Wendigo and his brainless Fighting Pokémon..."

Silver frowned.

"Sabrina, who are they?"

"They call themselves the Three Pillars of Team Rocket. They are incredibly strong. Their names are..."

"Pyra Okamiko, Light Rayami and Frost Yukimaru. I know them well."

Everyone turned to Giovanni. Simon frowned.

"Father, why are you here?"

Giovanni looked at his son.

"Exactly for this: to provide the other Gym Leaders with information about the Rocket Rebels."

"What about us?" Ash asked. "Why did you take us here? And where are the Elite Four? Isn't it their job to protect Kanto from such a threat?"

Koga nodded in appreciation.

"The kid is sharp indeed." He turned to him. "The Elite Four are busy somewhere else. As for your presence, Sabrina wanted you around because you and your friends are skilled. And after Giovanni told us how you defeated him, you're the kind of support we'd gladly use to watch our back."

"Besides..." Erika added. "Misty and Brock were Gym Leaders too. We will need them. And if Silver is at our side, it's all the better for us."

"Simon can also be useful." Ash said. "He is an Aura User. His powers aren't on the same rank as Silver's or mine, but they are good."

Sabrina frowned.

"I knew something was off when you entered."

"Indeed." Giovanni smiled. "Just like his brother, Ash can manipulate Aura quite proficiently. And under Silver's tutelage, you can be sure he will gain power and mastery in no time."

Sabrina sighed.

"An Aura Guardian... and here I hoped he would be a psychic. Tough luck so far!"

Her father frowned.

"There's always been great enmity between Psychics and Aura Users, a fast that is reinforced by mental powers being Psychic type and Aura belonging to Fighting. As a matter of facts, we have always hated each other."

Silver smiled.

"You have no ideas. During his first fight against your daughter, if Butterfree and his mate didn't interfere, Sabrina would have taken a nice Aura Sphere in the head. Kid was at this to awaken his powers." He looked down. "But at times, you have to let go of the past to move forward, just like the Ancient did. Though they didn't forget the once glorious civilization they once belonged to, they moved from its destruction and mingled with the humans to give birth to a new world."

Ash looked at the psychic dome.

"The fight won't be easy. I need to go back home to get some Pokémon."

"I can teleport you here, if you want." Sabrina's father offered.

Ash smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. LeFay."

"Please, call me Abraham."

"I'll also need to retrieve my Pokémon at Cerulean." Misty said. "Bellossom, Starmie, maybe even Seel. My sisters told me he had recently evolved into Dewgong."

"And Forrest need to return to Pewter." Brock added. "I don't want something bad to happen to him."

Cerulean City being nearby, Blaine offered Misty a ride while Sabrina let Brock use Alakazam to go to Pewter City. Finally, Abraham LeFay teleported Ash to Pallet Town. As soon as she saw them appearing straight in the Corral, Delia came to them.

"Dear, what is wrong?"

Ash turned to her.

"The Rocket Rebels have attacked the Silph Building at Saffron City. The Gym Leaders have called for our help."

Delia frowned.

"Rocket Rebels, huh? Gimme a minute. I'm in too."

She ran home and returned with five poké-balls. At the same time, Ash had gone to the training field where his Pokémon were gathered.

"Let's see, which one could I use? Clefairy is a must. Charizard too. Pidgeot is already with me and he is a powerful fighter, but maybe I should try Aerodactyl. He has the Rock Head ability. Bulbasaur? Maybe. Against Zapdos. And Haunter to go against Psychic-type Pokémon. In other words, almost the same team I used against Giovanni. How fun ... but I won't take Aerodactyl. He and Charizard will try to kill each other."

He gathered his Pokémon and joined Abraham. Delia had also gathered her team made of Mimey, Lily, Theo and Vivi and had shifted her housewife clothes for black spandex, a fuschia sleeveless top, black leather boots and finger, arm and chest protections for her bow. Ash raised a brow.

"Wow..."

Delia giggled.

"This is what I looked like when I was among Team Rocket. I was known as the Poisonous Hunting Scientist because of my skills and my liking for Poison Pokemon. Actually, I took several lessons from Koga."

Ash gulped. His fight against her had taught him his mother could pack a punch. He didn't know she could be actually that dangerous. Abraham teleported mother and son to the besieged city. His friends were here too. Ash had taken Brock's Pokémon with him in case, something his friend thanked him for.

"Now, we have to find a way to get past this barrier." Erkia frowned.

Sabrina looked at it.

"It was created by a Mr. Mime. We need to find it and defeat. My Haunter could do that but he was injured by Moltres."

Ash felt a poké-ball shake. He opened it to reveal his own Haunter. The Ghost Pokémon was angry. Sabrina smiled.

"Right. My Haunter is Ash's Haunter's elder brother."

Ash had a grin.

"Haunter, do you remember at the Ghost Tower how you took me and Pikachu from our bodies and we traveled around as ghosts?"

Haunter nodded and smirked evilly. Ash looked at his hand.

"I wonder if I can use my Aura Powers in astral form... My aim isn't that great with Aura Sphere, but I can already channel Aura in my feet and fists to hit harder."

He sat cross-legged in the tent and Haunter plunged a hand in his body. He took the boy's soul and both rose in the air. Ash focused a little and the people present turned to him.

"Looks like you can see me. Do you hear me too?"

"We hear you loud and clear, little brother." Simon grinned. "If I find a Ghost Pokémon, I should try that trick. It looks useful."

"Alright. I'll be back as soon as that barrier is down. Be ready to go."

He and Haunter flew away. Delia turned to Sabrina.

"So, where's your Haunter? Mimey can use some healing moves."

Sabrina took a poké-ball. At the same time, Ash and Haunter had turned invisible and were looking for the Mr. Mime at the origin of the shield. At the same time, they spied on the town. The people were hiding in their houses and the shops were closed. Rocket Rebels were paroling the streets. Fortunately, no one saw the two. They headed to the Silph Building to see what was in stores for the group and frowned at the sight. Employees were kept locked and watched in several rooms. Looking for the CEO, he found him at the fiftieth floor of the building, being threatened by a woman with fiery red hairs, crimson leggings and high heels and a black top with a red R on a flame. Two men were at her side. One had spiky blonde hairs, long yellow pants with belts over it and a black sleeveless top with a red R on two crossed lightning bolts. His hands had fingerless black gloves. The other had mid-back pale blue hairs, a long blue jacket on tight-fitting jeans with black moccasins and a black shirt with a red R on a crystal. Finally, while the woman looked rather well-shaped, the man in yellow was muscular and the blue-haired guy was rather androgynous. They were discussing about something.

"Oh, don't worry, Mr. Director. We will soon find out where you hid the Master Ball. And if we don't, you can say goodbye to your precious co-workers. I'm sure Moltres will be happy to turn them into ashes..."

The man in yellow grinned.

"Maybe if we take some of them and I use Zapdos to zap them a bit, it will change his mind. Frost?"

The man in blue looked coldly at the poor director.

"We must do what must be done to retrieve the Master Ball. Archer won't be happy otherwise. Have it your ways, I'll continue searching. Come, Jynx."

A Jynx appeared from the shadows and followed her master outside. Ash nodded. He had seen enough. He returned in town and was quick to find the Mr. Mime using Aura Tracker. It helped that his mother had this Pokémon too. He knew what a Mr. Mime's Aura was like. Charging an Aura Fist, he dived at the creature and punched its head hard. The Psychic type was recovering when Haunter's Dark Pulse hit it dead-on. It crumbled, defeated. The barrier faded, causing the boy to grin. He returned to the camp and found the Gym Leaders, ready to attack. Once inside his body, he told them what he had seen. Blaine nodded.

"I see. Let's go straight for the building. We can easily handle whatever grunt comes in our way."

"They are looking for the Master Ball and are ready to torture the people inside the building to get it." Ash frowned. "I saw some who had Pokémon. They will help us if we free them."

Koga grinned.

"I wouldn't have done better myself. Your idea to use a Ghost Pokémon for spying is clever, kid."

"I could have taken care of it all myself." Silver shrugged.

Giovanni chuckled.

"As expected from the man who took down Team Dark Moon by himself. But the League doesn't call for hired guns. They do it with their own strength. You're only here as Ash's mentor."

"Thanks..."

(Play [Eye of the Tiger](https://youtu.be/FLZS3jQPnKw), Survivor)

The group took their poké-balls and headed to the city. Warned by the fall of the barrier, the grunts had gathered to stand on the Leaders' path. They were totally crushed. No one, not even Brock showed mercy. They walked across the streets as the people watched them pass, cheering and encouraging them. Some of them even joined the group as they neared the building. A group of stronger-looking Trainers was waiting for them.

"We won't let you enter! By order of the Three Pillars of Team Rocket..."

"...you will let us pass right here, right now." Silver finished.

Charizard, Lya and Entei cleanly baked the bunch. Ash laughed.

"If they're all that weak we'll be done before sunset!"

"Don't forget the Legendary Birds." Simon remarked. "Legendaries are one cut above the other."

Ash turned to him.

"Blaine has Entei and Silver has Odin. This makes two Legendaries on our side and I'm fairly sure that either Pikachu, Charizard or Clefable is able to take one of these three without much help."

Clefable punched her fists, happy of the trust her Trainer was putting into her. She couldn't wait to face one of the Kanto Legends. Simon frowned and shrugged. His brother's Pokémon were weird in more ways than one. Suddenly, a group of martial artists jumped before them. They were wearing red judojis with a black belt and were bare-fisted and footed. Their leader had a brown mohawk on his head and was heavily muscular. Sabrina growled.

"Wendigo…"

The man grinned.

"It's been some time, Sabrina. Wanting to take the town back?"

"I want and I will. Get out of my way!"

The man chuckled loudly.

"You only went past me by miracle! What tells you you can do it again?"

The mentalist's eyes glowed.

"This."

She held her hand and pushed him away with a psychic wave. The evil Leader rose and growled.

"You damn bitch! Machamp, take care of her!"

The blue four-armed Pokémon jumped from its poke-ball and launched a Dynamic Punch to Sabrina who stiffened. Ash gasped and instinctively jumped before her, his hands blue from Aura. He was about to launch an Aura Sphere when the woman's Haunter sprang into action. Clenching his fists, he threw a double Shadow Punch that hit the Fighting type in the head. Ash had quickly turned Aura Sphere into Aura Shield, managing to protect him and Sabrina from the attack. When it faded, they saw Haunter and Machamp circling each other as predators. Machamp used Close Combat. Haunter merely stood still. Sabrina grinned.

"Ghost types are immune to Fighting attacks. Wendigo is doomed."

Deciding he was getting bored, Haunter closed his eyes. His body glowed white and changed shape until he was bigger, larger and apparently more powerful. Blaine smiled.

"Congratulation, Sabrina. Your Haunter evolved into Gengar."

His colleague nodded.

"It's perfect. Gengar, Drain Punch."

Flying between the four muscular arms, Gengar's fist glowed green and hit Machamp in the chest, sucking its strength away. Finally, the Shadow Pokémon channeled his power and unleashed a powerful Hyper Beam that knocked his opponent away. Wendigo backed up in shock.

"What? Ma… champ… has been defeated?"

"Yes." Delia nodded. "And I suggest you don't stay here if you want to avoid the same fate."

"In your dreams! Warriors, attack!"

Mankey, Primeape, Hitmonlee and Hitmontop and the whole Machop evolutionary like appeared, as well as some Poliwrath. Sabrina shook her head.

"They never learn. Alakazam, Hypno, Espeon, Jynx, Starmie, Gengar! Wipe them off!"

The psychic Pokémon quickly got rid of the Fighting army, especially when other Psychic and Flying Pokémon joined the party. Sabrina stood before the scared martial artists.

"Leave this town. And if I ever see you in the area, you're dead."

The men were fast to leave the city. This obstacle removed, the group made its path through the building. No one knew what happened inside except it was a slaughter. Rocket Rebels would often run away screaming every now and then when they weren't making the big jump from the windows before crashing anime-style. It was also very noisy, the sound of intense fighting being heard at almost every level.

"Let's separate!" Giovanni suggested. "The kids will go with Delia and Abraham to free the hostages while we go to the upper levels and face the three Legendary Birds."

So while Ash and co. were fighting the various grunts keeping the prisoners, the other Gym Leaders were making their way through the floors. Silver was with them. His integrity was well-known and if there was one person who could have a chance against the Legendary Trio, it was him. After all, he defeated Koga! And not in a Pokémon battle… After two exhausting hours, all the employees were freed.

"Alright." Delia grinned. "Let's help the Leaders!"

(Play [Clash of Swords](https://youtu.be/TDCUaYGmD5s), Final Fantasy XII)

They took the elevator to the last floor and finally reached the place Ash had located the Rocket Trio. What they saw made them freeze. While the Silph President was hiding in a corner, the Gym Leaders were facing the three birds and their masters. And they were losing. Erika was lying on the ground, her team defeated by Articuno who had made short work of her. Despite his best efforts, Koga had lost and was against a wall, his clothes burned in several places. Half of Giovanni's team was out and only Sabrina's Alakazam was still standing. Blaine and Lt. Surge were doing slightly better until Surge's Pokémon were trapped in a furious Blizzard. Moltres's flames did the rest. The Electric specialist backed up, leaving Blaine and Silver to deal with the three birds.

Silver growled. He was fighting against Zapdos and only Blitz's Lightningrod and Gaya's supporting moves were keeping his group alive.

"If things keep going, I'll have to draw my blades!"

Light, the man who was controlling Zapdos, turned to Frost.

"Hey, lend me a hand! I need help here!"

Articuno instantly changed path. Lya saw it and growled.

"Not in your dreams..."

The ice bird was heading to the group but the elder Ninetales jumped before him and hurled a powerful Inferno. Articuno backed up and retaliated with Blizzard. Not so far, Blaine was fighting Moltres and was holding his own, though Flareon, Rapidash and Ninetales were down. Another Sky Attack from the bird and Arcanine was out. Blaine frowned. He was about to order an attack when Entei jumped and dug his teeth in the Flame Pokémon. Moltres bucked and twisted, seeking to get the Legendary Beast off his back. Odin saw this and grinned. He shrieked something to Entei who growled and jumped off. By the time Moltres realized what happened, Silver's Legendary was on him, his body covered by ice. The attack brought his opponent down, much to Blaine's delight.

"Do we help them?" Ash asked.

"Yes." Delia nodded. "Moltres is out, but Articuno and Zapdos are still standing."

Brock frowned.

"I'll take care of Articuno. My Rock Pokémon are strong against him."

Misty nodded.

"Bellossom, go with Silver and help him! The others are with me to protect the Gym Leaders!"

Ash nodded.

"Then I'll go help Silver. Mom, Mr. LeFay, Simon, go with Misty!"

"I'll go support Brock." Simon replied. "My Pokémon have good moves against Flying types."

Misty spewed warm water over Erika's Pokémon, warming their frozen bodies. The Leader rose.

"Thank you, Misty. I feel better now."

"Not so fast!"

The girls turned to see Pyra.

"You think I'll let you stand up and fight? Don't be dreaming! Magmar, Flamethrower!"

Misty's eyes narrowed.

"Staryu, Water Gun!"

The two attacks collided in a burst of steam that warmed Erika's Pokémon a little more. Misty rose.

"I may not look like it, but I am also a Gym Leader! And I'm bringing you down! Dewgong, Aurora Beam! Staryu, Swift! Omanyte, Water Pulse!"

The barrage of Ice and Water attacks pushed Pyra back.

"Damn it! Magmar, Charizard, Inferno!"

The attacks met, covering the whole room in mist. Suddenly Omanyte started to glow. When it faded, the little Spiral Pokémon looked bigger and more feral with spikes on his shell, angry eyes and a sharp beak. Blaine grinned.

"An Omastar!"

Misty nodded. She just needed a little power boost...

"Omastar, Waterfall!"

The Fossil Pokémon created a large wave of water that swallowed Magmar and Charizard.

"Dewgong, Sheer Cold!"

The cold wind froze the whirlpool and the two Pokémon within.

"Staryu, Rapid Spin!"

Finally, Staryu broke the ice, knocking definitively Magmar and Charizard off the picture. Pyra was wide-eyed.

"No... ways..."

Misty looked straight at her. An Icy Wind later, she had been turned in an ice cube. At the same time, Brock was facing Frost with Simon. He had borrowed Rhyperior from Forrest and used a Smack Down to bring Articuno to the ground. Zubat had been knocked out by Jynx, who was actually caught in a battle with Simon's Sneasel. Feraligatr was trying his jaws against a Cloyster while Onix had been thrown down by a Dewgong. But the main source of the group's problems, alongside the ice bird, was a tenacious Lapras. The creature had knocked Vulpix, Murkrow and Golem and was winning against Rhyperior. Kabuto growled. He wanted to do something more than head-charging in the lot or randomly launching rock splinters everywhere. His strong will took a more solid form as his body was covered in light. The small creature evolved and radically changed shape, turning from a little trilobite-like creature into a monster similar to a Scyther... in more feral. Frost frowned.

"A Kabutops? Lapras, take him out!"

Lapras used Ice Beam against the creature but Kabutops nimbly dodged. He rushed to the dual-type Pokémon, his blade-like claws shining under the light and jumped to deliver a deadly Night Slash to the creature. Lapras crumbled, out of the fight for good. Brock cheered.

"Well done, Kabutops!"

Rhyperior roared at his savior… and got caught by Dewgong's Water Pulse. Kabutops turned to the dugong creature and his eyes narrowed. Before it could react, a strong Ancient Power struck it and eliminated it. A little away, Jynx had been defeated by a combination of Sneasel's Hone Claw and Metal Claw. Frost was now down to Articuno only, but Simon and Brock weren't any better: Brock had only Kabutops remaining and Simon only had Sneasel, Feraligatr having fallen victim to a double-KO with Cloyster. The two growled. This wouldn't be easy.

Silver and Ash were fighting against Light and Zapdos. Pikachu used his Lightningrod ability together with Blitz to protect the group, but there's a limit to everything. Clefable had Hyper Beamed a Magneton while Bulbasaur had defeated Elektrabuzz. Silver had gladly let his student take care of the lower-level Pokémon, saving his for the Legendary Bird. And Arceus knew he was having it hard.

"What in the Reverse World did he give to that beast? It's almost the level of an Alpha Rank Legendary!"

Espera had been KOed by a nasty Thunder attack and Riyo hadn't lasted long with his half-Steel type. Odin himself was fairly exhausted. Despite being a Legendary, he was nonetheless younger and less experienced than the three others. Zapdos suddenly used Magnet Rise on Gaya and struck with a powerful Discharge. The Meganium fell, her petals smelling of ashes.

"Now you can no more heal yourself!" Light boasted.

Silver growled.

"Looks like I'll have to draw my blades..."

Ash was winning against the man's regular Pokémon. Seeing a Raichu, Pikachu had immediately gone after it and was busy beating the lights out of it. While Charizard had incinerated an Electrode, Haunter was facing a Jolteon. The beast was about to use Thunder Fangs when Clefable jumped before him and used a furious Blizzard to freeze it on its feet. A good Drain Punch later, the electric Eeveelution was done for. She then turned to Zapdos. The bird looked at her. He had just knocked Blitz with an Aerial Ace and was about to face Lya but the old Ninetales was less interesting than the pink ball that was glaring daggers at him. Charizard growled.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"Damn… this place is too narrow! We need to take him outside! Only then we'll be able to outmaneuver him!"

Clefable looked at the windows.

"I'll take care of that!"

She managed to smash the glass with Focus Blast. Pidgeot and Charizard nodded.

"Here we go…"

Charizard roared as Pikachu jumped on his back and charged Zapdos, pushing him in the empty space below. Clefable quickly jumped on Pidgeot's back while Bulbasaur was wrapping himself behind her with his vines. Haunter followed the group and the aerial battle started. Lya sighed in relief.

"Perfect! Now I can focus on that damn Winter Bringer…"

She turned in a swift move and unleashed a searing hot Inferno to Articuno… at the exact same moment Kabutops was unleashing a good Stone Edge and Sneasel used Dark Pulse full power. The Ice Bird didn't stand a chance. Silver went to Frost with a smile.

"You've lost."

(Play [The Encounter](https://youtu.be/hZO1yinBXq4), Kingdom Hearts II)

And using his own Ice Aura, he flash-froze the man. Around the building, the fight between Zapdos and Ash's team was intense. Pikachu quickly discovered his electric attacks served nothing against the bird, as he too had Lightningrod. But the others were eagerly making up for him. Clefable landed a Blizzard that enraged the Legendary, which caused him to turn to her, Pidgeot and Bulbasaur. Sensing the threat, the Grass type hurled a powerful Leaf Storm, but it didn't do much… until Clefable set it on fire to turn it into a firestorm. Zapdos raged.

"How dare you!? You will feel the wrath of the sky!"

He created a huge ball of electricity that made Pikachu gulp.

"Ouch… Doesn't sound like Electro Ball…"

Haunter saw the threat. He rushed as fast as he could and stood between Pidgeot and the attack, taking the blow for himself. Pikachu gasped.

"Haunter!"

The Ghost type crashed in a building. Yet, even though the attack had KOed him, he grinned.

"Take him down for me, guys… I did my part."

The five remaining Pokémon looked in horror. Pikachu then turned to the Legendary.

"You… I swear on Zekrom that I will take you down, even if it's the last thing I must do in my life!" He looked at the others. "No holding back, guys! Now it's all or nothing!"

The four Pokémon roared in agreement. Bulbasaur charged Power Whip while Clefable prepared Hyper Beam and Pidgeot was rushing with Giga Impact. The beam struck first, sending Zapdos off balance. Then the whips slashed his wings, causing him to shriek in pain. Finally, Pidgeot collided with him full force. Angry that they resisted him so much, Zapdos swiftly shifted and grabbed Pidgeot to send a strong Thunder in his body. Pidgeot jerked in pain, Bulbasaur doing the same as lightning also coursed through his body. Clefable had felt it coming and had jumped away in time. Charizard growled.

"We're reduced to three! That's bad…"

He flew to catch Clefable in time and see Pidgeot and Bulbasaur freefalling in the air. Pikachu's eyes narrowed.

"Alright…" Charizard growled. "Now it's personal."

"Pidgeot and Bulbasaur were nice people." Clefable snarled. "Pikachu, save me a bit of that thing!"

(Auto-translator: OFF)

She charged Fire Punch and Ice Punch and jumped to the beast, knocking him in the head, before leaping back. Charizard followed with a massive Blast Burn. Clefable charged yet another Hyper Beam and blasted the Legendary in the chest. As a finale, Charizard focused his powers and unleashed a furious Dragon Rush. Zapdos, sensing the threat coming, tried to retaliate with Thunder. In vain. Clefable had backed the attack with Fire Blast, creating a threatening dragon of blue flame. This time, Zapdos was the one who crashed. Ash's three Pokémon looked at it. They had won, but the victory was bittersweet to say the least.

(End music)

Ash looked at the fight. Tears came to his eyes as he saw how badly his friends had had it. Half of his team was down, having sustained serious to heavy damages. But Pikachu, Clefable and Charizard were still standing, having received few attacks. He turned to Light, who was looking in disbelief at the scene. Before he could react, the teen had Aura-Punched him. Pikachu and Clefable jumped from Charizard's back, who returned to get Haunter, Pidgeot and Bulbasaur. The group of Gym Leaders and Trainers looked at one another.

"We won." Giovanni simply said.

But at which price? All of the Gym Leaders bare Blaine had no more Pokémon standing, Simon and Brock were the same and even Silver only had Lya left. Misty and Delia were doing better, having managed to avoid direct confrontation with the Legendary Birds. Finally, Ash had three Pokémon still standing, which wasn't much. Surge growled.

"Talk about a pyrrhic victory... We've won, but damn was it hard!"

The three Rocket Leaders were tied with solid rope and every Pokémon returned. Ash warmly congratulated his.

"Thank you a lot, everyone. Without you, we would have never won that fight." He turned to his brother. "I told you they were strong enough to beat a Legendary ..."

Simon chuckled.

"Damn right."

The president of the company rose from his hiding place. The group turned to him.

"Are you alright?" Misty asked.

"Yes, fortunately. Thank you for saving my company. I owe you a lot."

"We just did what was right." Erika answered. "Silph Company is the main supplier of Pokémon good, especially potions and poké-balls. The Pokémon Industry wouldn't be as flourishing as it is without your help."

"True this." He turned to Ash. "I saw your fight against Zapdos. It was very impressive. How old are you?"

"I recently turned eleven."

The man nodded. He had white hairs, a round face and a black tuxedo. Going to a panel hidden behind a printer, he took a key and revealed a secret door. The door revealed a small chest set in the wall, which contained the blueprints of several tools and a purple poké-ball with an M on it. Silver's eyes widened.

"The Master Ball!"

"Indeed it is. Take it, boy. You greatly deserve it."

To say Ash was shocked was an understatement. He backed up, stuttering.

"M-me? But... I can't have the Master Ball! I'm not..."

"Strong enough? Name just one Trainer as young as you are who managed to defeat a Legendary all by himself."

"But it wasn't by myself! Silver had weakened Zapdos beforehand and my Pokémon teamed against it!"

"Yet they managed to beat it, and this after it knocked three of your best teammates out. I don't know what the other Gym Leaders will think of it, but I esteem you earned the Master Ball fair and square."

Ash turned to his elders, totally distraught The Gym Leaders looked at one another and grinned. Koga took the purple sphere and placed it in his hand.

"Make good use of it."

Ash looked at the special item with surprise and respect.

"The Master Ball guarantees a one-hundred percent success of capturing a Pokémon. It is especially useful with Legendaries."

The boy swallowed, aware of the power the ball possessed. If he used it on a Pokémon, its capture wouldn't fail. He looked at the CEO.

"Alright, I'll take care of it."

Upon closer examination, it appeared that Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres were controlled by devices set on their heads. The items broken, the three Kanto Legends were free to leave to whatever place they came from. Silver couldn't help but notice the gratitude in the eyes of the birds. Giovanni took the three prisoners and left to his HQ at Viridian City. No one wanted to know what would become of Pyra, Light and Frost. However, Surge guaranteed them it wouldn't be pretty... The Gym Leaders returned to their respective city, Sabrina staying in town to help restore the damages. Finally, Ash and his friends returned to Pallet Town. The Pokémon weren't the only ones exhausted. When he saw them, Oak was surprised.

"My God! What kind of war did you fight to put them in this state?"

"We faced the three Legendary Birds." Simon simply answered. "And tell Gary Ash beat Zapdos all by himself."

Needless to say Gary wasn't happy about it.

"What. The. Hell. I turn my back just one second and Ash takes this time to pull some kind of heroic stunt! What has gotten to his head? He's gonna get killed if he gets going! Not that I'll mind..."

Ash, Misty, Brock and Simon turned to the boy when he said that. Clefable, visibly outright pissed by the statement, cracked her knuckles and turned to her Trainer with begging eyes. Pikachu and Charizard were just as eager. Ash nodded.

Gary spent the rest of the afternoon looking for a good hiding place. No one insults Ash in front of his Pokéfriends. Especially when they're back from flipping off and punching near god-like beings.


	22. The Elite Four

Just give me a reason, some kind of sign  
I'll need a miracle to help me this time  
I heard what you said, and I feel the same  
I know in my heart that I'll have to change  
[Nothing's Impossible](https://youtu.be/RCiOYGcHALU), Depeche Mode

A few days after the raid on Silph Headquarters, Blaine came to Pallet Town. His Magmar wanted to evolve but he needed to trade him for that. Angelo gladly helped. Electrabuzz evolved the same way and he wanted to make his team get stronger. So the two did what had to be done and left with their new Pokémon, Magmortar and Electrivire. Angelo also admitted to the Gym Leader his desire of specializing in Electric types. Blaine, after Ash almost begged him to help his friend, told the blonde boy to go see Surge at Vermilion City. Seeing his friend leave reminded Ash of how his training was going. And, to his greatest shame, he wasn't doing fine.

One evening, a week after the event at Saffron City, he came to his father by heart.

"Silver, I have a problem."

Silver caressed the boy's cheek.

"I can feel that. Your Aura has a dull feeling." He took the boy on his knees. "Well kiddo, what's wrong?"

Ash lowered his head.

"I can't seem to get somewhere with my training. My Pokémon ... there's the group with Pikachu, Charizard, Clefable, Butterfree, Pidgeot, Aerodactyl, Bulbasaur and Haunter. Those ones are over-powerful enough that I don't really need them to improve anymore. They are ready for the Conference. The others, however ... Tyrogue and Poochyena are powerful too, but somehow, they can't seem to evolve and I don't understand why. Finally, I have a serious problem with Squirtle, Jigglypuff, Sandshrew and Fearow. Squirtle doesn't seem to be making progress and he's way behind the others in terms of strength. Sandshrew is so shy, I can hardly work with her. Sure, we've done well since Giovanni gave her to me, but I don't think it's enough yet. Also, she's scared by basically everything! And I can't help her in that field ... The same way, whatever I do, Fearow can't seem to even want to obey me, which means I can do nothing with him. And finally, Jigglypuff said she would only evolve once she mastered Sing, but she hasn't managed to make it yet." He nested his head in Silver's chest. "Silver, I need your help. Without it I'll never make it far in the Conference."

The man caressed the boy's head. Ash was so cute when he was worried ... The boy snuggled against him, giving him two big Growlithe eyes in the process. Those eyes made Silver's heart melt. Damn it, the man was a pure Papa Wolf toward kids. And he would outright kill anyone who merely threatened his adoptive son. Lulling the kid, he gave him his kindest fatherly smile.

"Don't worry, Little Ashling. I'll help you out. I helped you get this far and I'm going to help you get even further. I have just a call to make ..."

He carried the half-sleeping boy in his room and helped him change in his nightwear before putting him to bed. It was some of those gestures that made the two really feel close. Pikachu jumped in his Trainer's arms and curled into a ball. The boy hugged him like a stuffed Teddiursa and fell asleep. Delia watched the scene.

"You two are really cute."

"Thanks. I'm doing my best."

They walked in the living room. Here, the woman frowned.

"What are you going to do with Ash's problem? Every Trainer reaches a point where he can't get any better. It means he's on top ..."

"Ash is far from being on top of his skills." Silver retorted. "He has potential, Delia. What he's facing right now is an obstacle due to his lack of experience. I'm going to remedy that."

"How?"

"You'll see. Don't worry. Ash can do way, way better than he does now, I promise. Just give him some time ..."

He dialed a number on the phone. Soon, a voice answered him.

"Lance speaking. Who's on the phone?"

"Lance? It's me, Silver."

"Silver? It's been some time!"

"Yeah! Talk about it."

Delia was wide-eyed.

"You're speaking with _Lance?_ "

Silver turned to her.

"He and I go sometime back, before I got in contact with Giovanni. Anyway, the two of us are on good terms. Sorry, Lance. I was speaking with someone."

At the end of the phone, Lance grinned. Yep, he and Silver had several adventures together. His Dragonite growled kindly, causing the Elite to caress him.

"So, what do you want? It's been at least two years since we spoke." His voice became mockingly serious. "Is it that you've changed your mind and are ready to take the Champion's mantle?"

His answer was Silver's crystalline laugh.

"Lance, please! We talked about it before and I told you countless times that I have already 'obligations' that make me unable to pretend to that title, even if I wanted to."

"If it's because you have a family, it doesn't stop you from ..."

"Lance, I said no. I will not become Kanto's new Champion."

Lance sighed.

"What a shame. You are one of the very few persons I would have accepted to replace Adrian."

Upon hearing this name, Silver made a small cross gesture.

"May he rest in peace. He was a great man. His death was a huge prejudice to the Pokémon League. Well, at least we avenged him"

"You're right ... Well, if that's not to become a Champion, what did you call me for?"

Silver frowned and grinned.

"At last we're talking business... Lance, I need a favor."

"A favor?"

Lance raised a brow. Silver was usually strong enough he never asked for help.

"Yes. I have a pupil called Ash Ketchum. That boy is like a son to me."

"I know. You mentioned him during our last conversation. How did he turn out?"

"Great, but he has a problem: his training skills are reaching their limits."

"And?"

Silver sat in the sofa, rubbing his beardless jaw.

"Could you ... please contact Bruno, Lorelei and Agatha, see if they have time to mentor the kid a bit? I think advices from the Elite Four will do him some good. And if you ask if he deserves it, two of his Pokémon managed to beat a Zapdos during the events at Saffron City. So, before you ask any question, he is good. He just needs a push-up from someone more powerful than the Gym Leader. Oh, and I forgot: he beat the Eight Challenges."

Lance's jaw almost dropped. Beat a Legendary with two Pokémon? Won against the Eight Challenges? His eyes narrowed.

"Silver, I want all of the information you can provide about this kid and I want them right now. Official and unofficial, I mean."

Silver chuckled.

"Incoming. Just give me a minute."

A quarter of hours later, Lance was reading not only Ash's file in the Pokémon League databank but also watching the videos Silver had made of his fights and a newspaper talking about the incident at Saffron City. What he got left him if not shocked, at least in a certain mental state.

' _I don't know if that kid is a genius or if he has natural talent, or even if Silver mentored him very well, but one thing is sure: he has his deal._ '

The official files read this:

Name: Ash Ketchum

Age: 11

Origin: Pallet Town, Kanto

Relatives: Delia Ketchum, Bruno Rocket, Giovanni Rocket (uncle), Simon Rocket (cousin)

Number of Pokémon: 14

Pokémon :

 **Pikachu (Starter)** : lv 61, male.

Butterfree: lv 49, male.

 **Pidgeot** : lv 60, male.

 **Clefable** : lv 59, female.

 **Bulbasaur** : lv 51, male

 **Charizard** : 56, male

Squirtle: lv 25,male

 **Haunter** : lv 50, male

Tyrogue: lv 39, male

Poochyena: lv 41, female

Jigglypuff: lv 30, female

Aerodactyl: lv 50, male

Sandshrew: lv 20, female

Fearow: lv 47, male

Fighting style: charge headfirst into the fight. Strikes fast and hard, preferring Pokémon who do so. No special preferences or specialty. Very powerful, especially when underestimated. Hardly gives up and will fight to his last breath.

The unofficial files provided by Silver rectified the little affair about Ash's true parents, added that he was an Aura Guardian and gave some more information about his Pokémon. He also described the boy more in-depth. As for the videos, they were bordering the madness. Lance took a video-phone and called the other Elite Four. Lorelei was the first to answer.

"Lance? I hope you have a good reason to disturb me during one of my lectures."

"Oh, I do, Lorelei."

Actually, the fact that the red-haired teacher was an Ice specialist was enough for the Dragon master to watch his words. Ice always ends up beating Dragon...

"And what is this reason?" Agatha asked.

The man frowned.

"A request from an old friend of ours, Silver."

"Silver?" Bruno asked. "I miss fighting him."

This comment made the man chuckle. The first time Bruno and Silver met, Silver was trekking across the mountains and was suddenly assaulted by the Elite who took him for a criminal. Silver's Pokémon quickly knocked Bruno's Machamp, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, casing the fighter to aggress the man in black himself. To say it was a bad idea was an understatement ... When Bruno woke up, he found himself with a huge lump on the head and several broken bones. And the martial artist was easily one of the strongest men in Kanto. Silver healed him back and the two took some days to get acquainted. In the end, both left as friends. Lorelei frowned.

"I remember him. He has Ice Aura powers and is outright immune to ice."

"He is also very clever." Agatha commented. "And his actions aren't always legal. What does he want?"

Lance looked down.

"Actually, he has a pupil called Ash Ketchum. Recently, the boy had been unable to make any progress in his training. Silver wants us to mentor him a bit."

Bruno nodded.

"Silver is a respectable man. One I would gladly accept as the new Kanto Champion. I will take on the offer. Tell him I am in the Hideaway Mountains and that he can bring the kid anytime."

Lorelei looked at Lance.

"Is the kid good?"

"He is the youngest Trainer to date who has beaten the Eight Challenges. Also, two of his Pokémon defeated a Zapdos. Finally... the CEO of Silph Company deemed him trustworthy enough to entrust him with the Master Ball."

The professor gasped.

"An eleven years old has an item like the Master Ball? What was that man thinking? Alright, I'll take him."

"I will take him too." Agatha grinned. "I am curious to know how he defeated a Legendary Pokémon..."

Lance nodded.

"Then it's settled. I'll call Silver to arrange things further..." He quickly phoned the man who answered. "Silver? We've got a deal. The Elite Four have agreed to take Ash with them. We've just got to adjust the dates."

Silver frowned.

"There are two months left before the Conference. In other words, seven weeks. If we want little Ashling to be in shape, we need to leave him some time to recover from your tutoring." He was silent a moment. "How about one week with each of you?"

Lance frowned.

"Sounds reasonable. What do you have in mind for the tutoring?"

"Well, I was thinking of dropping him by your place, you teach him whatever way you want and at the end of the week I send him to the next Elite."

"Alright. So we have free reins when it comes to our methods."

"Not exactly ..." Silver's eyes narrowed. "I hear you beat him or mistreated him one single time... Don't you start thinking Kanto's Gym Leaders will protect you from my wrath. As someone said once, it's safer to attack a baby Kangaskhan in his mother's pouch than picking on a kid I took under my wing."

Lance, despite all his might and prowess, couldn't hold back a shiver. His Dragonite looked at him worried. The man caressed him.

"There are things I'll never get used to ... You know, at times I wonder how you can be so kind toward children yet be able to single-handedly slaughter thousands of persons at the same time."

This made Silver laugh.

"Oh, Lance ... If you had children too, you would be the exact same. I love kids. This is why I can kill for them. Because I care. And I openly admit I will retort to gruesome means if it means protecting them. Do what you must to protect your family. All the rest is Tauros crap."

The Dragon specialist sighed.

"You're really a dangerous man."

"Because I have things to protect."

The next morning, Silver told Ash to gather clothes for a week and take the Pokémon he had problems with. Ash obeyed.

"What are we going to do?"

"You said you had problems with training, right? I'm going to take you to people who will help you solve them. And no, Misty, Brock and Simon aren't allowed to come."

Riding on Odin's back, they flew to the Hideaway Mountains. It was a place west of Mont Moon, known for its giant Onix. Silver landed before a cavern and got off the Legendary, Ash imitating him.

"Bruno? I'm here!"

A man appeared that made the poor kid almost jump out of his skin. Bruno was a pure colossus, with enough strength to lift boulders twice his size and weight without breaking a sweat. Silver was tall, so to say at least six feet. Bruno was nine feet high. In other words, he was outright dwarfing the black haired boy. Ash gulped and took a step back, much to Silver's amusement.

"Scared of him? Bruno specializes in Fighting Pokémon. He is powerful, literally. And knowing the size of the stone snakes that live around, you better be ..."

He pushed the boy who finally came to the Elite.

"...Hello."

Bruno looked at him before turning to Silver.

"Is it the boy you talked about?"

"Yes. Go easy on him ..."

The colossus chuckled.

"Don't worry. You made fairly clear that no harm should be done to him. You know, Lance was actually genuinely scared when you threatened him..."

Ash turned to his mentor, a brow raised. Silver merely shrugged.

"I merely reminded Lance what happens when someone hurts my friends. It's never pretty."

"And you say this so nonchalantly... There are times even I am scared of you, and I still know you would and will never hurt me."

The man rubbed his student's head.

"You'll be staying here for a week. Four weeks, one with each Elite. They will help you progress on the path to mastery, so follow their advices with care. I have to be honest, this is gonna be hard. They aren't the most powerful Trainers of Kanto for nothing. You're ready, kid?"

Ash took a breath and nodded. Silver grinned.

"You're a courageous one, Ashling. Bye."

"Bye..."

He turned to Bruno who looked at him. The two stared at each other for minutes before the Elite nodded.

"Put your things inside and let's get started. Your training starts right now."

Ash nodded and went inside the cavern. It was large and rather Spartan, but still comfortable with a video phone, several carpets with some serving as beds and weights and irons. There was a pile of clothing near a carpet. The boy went to another and put his bag here. He kept his Pokémon with him and got out. Bruno was waiting.

"Ready to start?"

"Yes."

"Then take your Pokémon and make them hit that boulder. I want to know what they've got inside."

Said boulder was twice bigger than the one they used as a dummy. Ash took his poké-balls and let his friends out. Fearow looked at him with bored eyes before flying away and resting. The boy sighed.

"Apart from Pikachu, I only took the Pokémon I had troubles with. The others are already ready for the Conference."

Bruno frowned. Sandshrew looked around as she got out and saw the Elite. Her evident reaction was to jump behind her Trainer and hide, downright terrified by the man. Ash knelt to her side.

"Don't worry, he won't hurt you. You can come out."

The scared Pokémon would have none of it. She remained fiercely behind her Trainer, shivering like a leaf. Jigglypuff and Squirtle looked around and greeted the boy who nodded.

"Alright, guys! See that boulder? I want you to wreck it!"

Fearow looked at him before huffing. Things were clear: he didn't want to obey. Sandshrew looked at it before curling into a ball and rolling at it. It didn't leave a mark. She chained with Scratch. Nothing either. Sandstorm didn't even polish the stone so she returned by Ash's side. Squirtle looked at her, then at the stone and threw a good Water Pulse. This time, a circular impact was faintly visible. Jigglypuff grinned and stepped before the blue turtle. Her Hyper Voice blasted the rock. Bruno raised a brow.

"Not half-bad. But a move like this is dangerous in those surroundings because of the risks of rock slide."

Ash shivered. Last time he was taken in one, he found himself lost in the forest with Gary. He didn't have fond memories of that time ... Bruno showed him another boulder. Pikachu grinned. In a blink, he was on the target. In the next, his Iron Tail had cleaved it in two. The little Pokémon walked away, happy with his performance. He turned to Fearow and raised a brow, as if to say "Can you do better?" Taken by the challenge, Fearow opened his wings, took flight and delivered a good Drill Peck on one of the rock, shattering it. Bruno nodded.

"I see. Your Pokémon have different levels. Pikachu and Fearow are extremely strong and Jigglypuf isn't far behind. Squirtle has some progress to do. Finally, Sandshrew is fairly weak."

"She isn't weak. She's shy. So shy that it always hampers her abilities. But I still taught her some strong attacks. She just needs ... to overcome her fears. And I don't know how." He turned to his Pokémon. "Pikachu is with me because he's my Starter and my friend. He leads the team. Squirtle is a hard worker, but he can't seem to make progress, just like Jigglypuff who cannot seem to master Sing and ends up putting everyone to sleep. Finally, Fearow outright refuses to listen to me."

Bruno nodded.

"Is that all?"

"No. I have two Pokémon, Poochyena and Tyrogue. They are strong, but they simply can't evolve. Not that they don't want to. It's just that they don't, as if they had an Everstone around them."

The Elite nodded.

"I see. Well, it seems I can help you in several fields. Just one thing, though. Silver told me you train alongside your Pokémon, right?"

"Right."

"Then I'll also train you. Take your vest and shirt off, and your gloves too. We're starting."

Ash soon found out how Bruno did to become so strong. And he learned it the hard way. The 'training' the Elite was talking about was very similar to hell. Each morning, the kid and his Pokémon had to carry large buckets of water from the river down the mountain. After this, they were permitted to have a large meal that served them for the rest of the day until the evening. Bruno was a relentless worker. He made them lift large boulders and trunks tied to ropes, attack stones as hard as granite, work every single muscle of their body, and this until it ached so badly they were paralyzed. Several times, Ash found himself unable to find a good sleeping position because of the pain he was into. And it wasn't the worst.

Since Silver had taught the boy how to fight, Bruno had taken after him and was teaching the boy his own methods. There was one, in particular, that gave Ash nightmares.

"Silver told me he taught you Taichi and capoeira. These aren't bad martial arts, but they become useless when your opponent reaches a certain distance near you. When your enemy is at three inches, what do you do? Do you curl into a ball or do you fight back?"

He had come to a rock, placed himself at palm-length and blew the rock in a single punch. After this, he had forced the boy to do the same with a plank of wood. Of oak wood. Ash had rubbed his hands raw to break it.

"It's the wood who must fear your fist, not the other way around. How do you want to win when you start as a loser?"

Easier said than done. That plank was hard. And Bruno had forbidden Aura. The evening, his body was in so much pain he couldn't even use a fork and knife to eat.

"Don't worry. You can use your hands. I won't mind after a day like this one."

So Ash had taken the meat with both hands and torn it with his teeth, taking large chunks of bloody yet so sweet streak, digging his fingers in the spiced rice and vegetables that came along. It went this way for five days. In five days, thanks to the colossus's harsh methods, the boy and his Pokémon grew stronger. Pikachu, who was already strong, could take down the giant Onix in three strikes maximum, Jigglypuff had mastered several new physical attacks and Squirtle's shell had considerably hardened. Sandshrew didn't make much progress, though. Sure, she could hit hard when she wanted, but the rest of time, she stayed by Ash's side with worried eyes. And Fearow didn't lift a feather. Pikachu almost zapped him for that. Ash had changed too. His muscles were more apparent and he was now spotting some serious abs. His skin was darker too, courtesy of the sun. But Bruno wasn't satisfied yet.

"Your Pokémon are good, but their true potential remains hidden. There's something blocking them ... and I think I know what."

Next thing he knew, Ash felt a sharp pain hit the back of his head and darkness surrounded him. When he awoke, he was surprised to see himself tied with solid handcuffs to two rock pillars. He was in a kind of large pit with a wide entrance.

"What the... What happened? Why am I tied to these things?"

He tried to pull them but the cuffs were strong and deeply set in the granite. No matter how hard he yanked, the boy did nothing but cut his wrists. And when he tried to use Aura, he noticed with horror that his senses were disturbed by something. Great ...

"Well, I don't know who did it, but it doesn't matter. Bruno's going to find me or my Pokémon are going to do. They must be looking for me as I speak, so I just have to wai ... t?"

A low rumble was heard. Clouds of dust appeared, quickly fading to reveal ... three giant Onix heading straight his way. Ash's face paled significantly in three seconds.

"Oh holy crap...!"

(Play [Night on Bald Mountain](https://youtu.be/iCEDfZgDPS8), M. Mussorgsky)

Okay, forget waiting. Find how to get the hell away from those things fast! Cause the stone snakes weren't here to play. The boy started violently trashing the cuffs, but it was totally useless. He was about to scream when a Water Pulse hit one of the Onix in the head. Squirtle appeared.

"Squirtle squirtlesqui!" (Pick someone your size!)

Using his shell as a sled, he sled down the pit and stood before his Trainer.

"Jigglypuff!" (Wait for me!)

Jigglypuff joined her comrade, ready to fight. Sandshrew appeared from a hole.

"Sandshrew..." (And me...)

Squirtle looked at the Ground Pokémon with surprise.

"Squirtle squi-squirtle?" (You're really going to fight?)

Sandshrew shook her head.

"Sandsand shrew sandshrew. Sandshrew shrewsand sandsand shrew-ew" (I can hamper them with some attacks. And I can try to free Master.)

Squirtle and Jigglypuff looked at one another.

"Jigglypuff." (Works with me.)

The Onix were on them. Squirtle jumped and Water Gunned one in the face. Jigglypuff rolled between the snakes and used Body Slam when one tried to get too close. Sandshrew saw an Onix getting dangerously close of her Trainer. When the beast tried to chomp him, the girl answered with two Metal Claws on the muzzle. The Onix backed up, roaring. Sandshrew then turned and delivered a Brick Break on one of the stones. The rock shattered, freeing the handcuff from its prison. She was about to attack the last one when the Onix she had sent off returned to the assault. This time, she used Sand Attack to blind him. Jigglypuff looked behind her. Sandshrew was doing fine, but only one of the cuffs was free. And Ash had fainted. She growled.

Bruno had come to them earlier, saying Ash had been kidnapped and he had seen him tied to two rocks. The kidnappers apparently wanted to give him to the Onix, so the Pokémon had gone to the place where Bruno had seen Ash. That was the truth. And now, here they were, in a David vs. Goliath fight that would have been hopeless without Squirtle's huge type advantage. Onix didn't like water at all. And the Tiny Turtle was giving his all. He leaped away from an Iron Head that collided with another Onix, launched a Water Pulse at another, combined Rapid Spin and Water Gun to get out of a Bind and fought a Dragon Breath to a standstill with Ice Beam. So yes. It was little David vs. three massive Goliath. But just like in the tale, little David had a deadly slingshot. Unlike the tale, though, he had friends to watch his back. So when an Onix sent a powerful Stone Edge to him, Jigglypuff jumped and roared a Hyper Voice that dissolved the splinters and deafened the Onix. Squirtle saw his chance. Gathering his strength, he jumped and surrounded his tail with water. The strength of the Aqua Tail was enough to knock the stone snake off. Squirtle landed, his body coursing with energy. Ash's eyes fluttered at that moment.

"…Huh?"

The Water Starter turned to him, grinning widely … and the energy within him took a physical form in the shape of a glow. A glow that surrounded his body and made him grow bigger, giving him a different appearance. When it faded, Squirtle's skin was of darker blue, his tail was fluffier, he had two wing-like ears and his claws were sharper. The Pokémon looked at himself in awe.

"Wartortle?"

"ONIIIIIX!"

The turtle Pokémon jumped in time to dodge a Slam from an Onix. Covering his fist with ice, he retaliated with Ice Punch, span and sent a Water Gun straight at another Onix's face. Besides him, Jigglypuff had finished the last Onix with Double Edge. Sandshrew sighed. She had remained by Ash to shield him from any assault and had done a good job doing so. But she was still scared. And she was right. Another Brick Break later, Ash was free.

"Thank you, everyone. Guess there's no use asking where Fearow is… But Pikachu?"

The trio looked at one another; Come to think of it, they hadn't seen Pikachu since Ash disappeared. The kid frowned.

"That's not normal. Usually, if I were to disappear, he would be the first to go looking for me…"

A sound made them freeze. The group turned … and dropped their jaw when they saw the monster that was heading their way. It was a Steelix, Onix's evolution. But just like the Onix of the place were bigger than the others, this one Steelix was a pure monster, a massive sixty-five feet steel wyrm heading straight their way. Ash swallowed.

"Run. Far. Fast."

"Wartortle…" (Hell yeah …)

Taking Sandshrew and Jigglypuff in his arms, Ash ran to the walls of the pit, Wartortle hot on his heels. He then tried to climb the rocks despite his aching hands, soon imitated by his friends. But Steelix didn't agree with it. It slammed its tail on the ground, generating an Earthquake that brought the group back in the pit. They were stuck. And they were in troubles. Wartortle turned to the beast.

"Wartortle-tle!" (Don't dream of it!)

He took a long breath and sent a strong Water Gun to the steel wyrm. Sandshrew frowned and followed with Sand Tomb. Finally, Jigglypuff used Hyper Voice to help her friends. Together, they managed to hold the beast off a few minutes, until it grew bored and swept them all with Iron Tail. Wartortle rose, growling. He sent a Water Pulse that was totally countered by a Flash Cannon. The attack sent the Water Starter reeling. Sandshrew squealed and hid instantly behind Ash. Jigglypuff looked at the turtle and closed her eyes. A bell chimed as her eyes glowed, soothing Ash, Wartortle and Sandshrew's wounds. The boy frowned.

"Heal Bell…"

The Baloon Pokémon then turned to Steelix.

"Jigglyjiggly puff!" (Run away quickly!)

"War-war wartortle?" (What about you?)

"Jigglypuff jiggly." (I'll stop it myself.)

"War? Wartortle?" (What? How?)

"Jiggly Puff." (Perish Song.)

Wartortle gasped.

"Wartortletortle tle?" (Are you sure about it?)

"Jiggly jig" (It's the only way.)

Wartortle closed his eyes. Jigglypuff was right. Perish Song guaranteed the defeat of any Pokémon, no matter how strong it was. But the cost was the user's life. Fortunately, it was in ancient times before there were Trainers and poke-balls. Today, the move only knocked the two Pokémon out. But it was still enough to make using it a serious decision. The only times Jigglypuff used Perish Song, it was because she was certain her defeat secured her Trainer's victory, like during the fight against Blaine. So the group ran to the entrance of the pit. Once they were out of sight, the courageous singing Pokémon hummed. Even Bruno, who was close of the pit, shivered when he heard it. It was the saddest, most heart-breaking requiem he had ever heard. Steelix roared, meaning full-well what this meant to it. When she was one, Jigglypuff grinned like a maniac.

"Jiggly puff-puff, jig'jiggly!" (Now come at me, you bastard!)

Steelix roared and hit the ground with Earthquake. Jigglypuff merely jumped and Body Slammed it. First move. Angry, the Iron Snake Pokémon charged Flash Cannon while its opponent was in midair. Jigglypuff answered with Light Screen. The beam bounced on the shield. Second move. Finally, the monster sent a strong Iron Tail Jigglypuff countered with Double Edge. Third move. The last. The pink Pokémon landed before her opponent and glared at it. Steelix looked deeply in the Balloon Pokémon's eyes and nodded, slowly. On this, both fell. Away from here, Ash gasped.

"Jigglypuff!"

(End music)

He ran back in the pit and took the little Pokémon in his hands. Her eyes were close and a faint smile was on her face. Behind her, the giant Steelix was also out. Suddenly, his body turned red. Ash's eyes widened. Someone had caught the monster! He turned, only to see Bruno holding a poke-ball.

"That was a nice fight. Jigglypuff and Wartortle did an excellent job."

Ash hissed.

"Bruno… It was you, was it?"

The Elite nodded.

"Your Pokémon are deeply attached to you. By putting you in a life-or-death situation, I forced them to bring out their all in order to protect you. And it worked: Squirtle evolved in Wartortle and Sandshrew became a little more daring. Finally, Jigglypuf proved her courage by challenging the giant Steelix. I didn't plan on it getting close this fast, but seeing how the situation turned in the end, it was a nice bonus. I have wanted to capture this beast for quite some time."

Ash looked at him and came to him. Bruno took a key he used to unlock the duffs. The next thing he knew, Ash had punched his stomach. The tall man winced. The kid could pack a punch ... Without a word, the young Trainer went to a rock near the cave and sat. His body was aching, he was dirty and spotted several cuts. Around his wrists were the marks of the handcuffs Bruno had chained him with. The boy growled. Right now, he hated the man.

"What has gotten into him? I could have died, and my Pokémon too! Jigglypuff even had to knock herself out to save us! What. The. Hell."

He kept fuming like that for several minutes before looking at the grotto. Rising from his seat, he went inside and came back with a Revive and several potions. Pikachu finally appeared, his ears down. Ash turned to him.

"Pikachu? Where were you?" His eyes narrowed. "Let me guess … you were with Bruno, right?"

The electric mouse nodded. Ash sighed.

"He must've told you to stay back and watch so Wartortle, Jigglypuff and Sandshrew, who are weaker, could defeat the Onix without you spoiling the job."

Pikachu rose and, using his front paws, spoke using sign language. Without Lya, it was the safest way for Ash to understand him.

(Sorry, Ash. Bruno insisted that I didn't interfere. But believe me, when I saw that Steelix, I almost zapped him after he told me I couldn't attack. Poor Jigglypuff … But Bruno's right, she was courageous to use Perish Song on it.)

Ash looked down. He took the Revive and spread it on Jigglypuff who fluttered her eyes. He then gave her, Wartortle and Sandshrew the potions as well as some food he had fetched. Bruno watched him from afar. Even in his state, Ash was first thinking about his Pokémon, making their needs pass before this. He nodded. This was the behavior of a true Trainer. Lance would appreciate the boy. Soon after she awoke, Jigglypuff saw her Trainer. The wounds of the wrists were starting to itch, the scratches had a dirty yellowish fluid coming out and the boy's body was all but clean. She sighed. Ash was feeding Wartortle and Sandshrew, not caring for himself at all.

"Jigglypuff…"

Her eyes glowed and a bell chimed in the air. Her Trainer was so caught in his task he didn't even notice the little Normal Pokémon was healing him. Once he was finished, Ash went to the grotto and fell on a carpet to get some rest. His Pokémon didn't think twice before rolling against him. They slept like a pile of logs up 'til the next morning, which was the last day Ash had to spend with Bruno. When at last the boy awoke from his slumber, he had several surprises. The first was a delicious breakfast set on the rock that served as a table, the second was that he didn't feel sore at all, which was a good change, and the third was that all of his Pokémon save for Fearow were comfortably nested against them. The boy sighed, remembering what happened yesterday.

"You had it hard, hadn't you, guys?" He looked at the entrance. "Dammit, Bruno! That was suicidal …"

"Still mad at me?"

The Elite appeared at the entrance of the grotto with buckets of water. Ash frowned. One by one, his Pokémon woke up. Bruno nodded.

"You spent all the aftermath tending and feeding them, to the point you didn't even notice your Jigglypuff healed you. That's why you don't feel sore."

The boy caressed the pink ball.

"Thanks. But still, your stunt yesterday was hard to swallow. Especially when Steelix showed up."

"The worst has yet to come. Eat your food. Today, you're having one last exercise before we pass."

Ash frowned. Obeying his elder, he ate his meal and fed his friends. After that, they did their little morning routine.

"Silver will come and get you at midday. Your next stop is Lorelei, who lives in the Sevii Islands."

"What are we gonna do now?"

Bruno grinned.

"You're gonna face me. Three vs. three without switching. Last Pokémon standing wins."

Ash frowned.

"Works for me."

(Play [Vim and Vigor](https://youtu.be/HyT3B6tMQ7Y), from Kingdom Hearts II)

The two faced each other.

"Hitmonchan, go!"

"Jigglypuff, I choose you!"

The two Pokémon faced one another. Bruno half-smiled.

"Hitmonchan, start with Mach Punch!"

"Jigglypuff, Protect!"

Jigglypuff summoned a wall of light … one second after the hit struck and sent her reeling. The boy gasped.

"That punch was fast!"

Bruno nodded.

"Mach Punch is so fast it always lands first. Nice try to counter, though. Protect would have worked well."

Jigglypuff rose and growled. She was covered with scratches and bruises. She swallowed air, puffing her body until it was twice bigger.

"Jigglypuff!"

Ash grinned.

"Hyper Voice!"

The following attack could as well have been called Sonic Boom. The sound wave tore the air apart, damaging not only the eardrums of those watching the fight, but also sending Hitmonchan crashing in a rock. Bruno gulped.

"Ouch, wasn't waiting for that … But you still won't win! Hitmonchan, Close Combat!"

True to his reputation, the Punching Pokémon rose with fire in his eyes and sent a volley of lightning-fast punches that were impossible to see, let alone dodge. Jigglypuff crumbled, defeated. Though Clefable would have survived the assault, the girl wasn't her cousin. She had neither the strength nor the stamina of the steadfast Pokémon. Ash returned her.

"That was a very nice try, Jigglypuff. I'm sorry I made you lose so quickly after you took the time and pain to heal me." He placed the poke-ball aside and took another one. "Wartortle, you're up!"

Bruno frowned. The blue turtle was a strong opponent, as seen when he had taken the Onix that were threatening Ash. But Onix had a 4x weakness to Water. Hitmonchan, not.

"Let's make it quick! Hitmonchan, Sky Uppercut!"

"Wartortle, Iron Defense!"

Bruno chuckled.

"Fighting beats Steel, kid…"

Wartortle's shell turned to iron… and was crumpled by the rising fist that rendered it airborne. Wartortle winced, causing Ash to growl.

"Hitmonchan is fast… I must slow him down, and I know how! Wartortle, Ice Beam on the legs!"

Bruno's eyes widened. The turtle Pokémon charged ice in his mouth and sent a beam of ice to Hitmonchan's legs while he hadn't yet reached the ground. Ash's tactic worked. The Fighting Pokémon was unable to rise. Using the momentum, Ash ordered an Aqua Tail that landed straight on Hitmonchan's stomach. And as an added bonus, the Pokémon even had an Ice Punch in the head. Bruno clapped his hand as he returned his fighter.

"Nicely done. It also helped that Jigglypuff gave some good damages with her Hyper Voice."

"Yes." The boy admitted. "Without Jigglypuff, Hitmonchan would have been a real challenge. He was slower than when he faced her, which is why Wartortle was abl to counter him so easily."

"You're perfectly right." Bruno frowned. "The sound waves must have caused internal injuries that set Hitmonchan off balance. You took advantage of that and won, but the fight is all but finished." He took another Pokémon. "Your turn, Steelix!"

Ash froze.

"Oh no… Not _that_ Steelix!"

Unfortunately for him, it was indeed the monstrous steel wyrm that gave the group so much trouble. The boy closed his eyes.

"That's it. I'm screwed."

Bruno grinned.

"Steelix, Flash Cannon!"

The boy growled.

"Wartortle, Water Pulse!"

The water attack was blasted by the energy beam. The Turtle Pokémon barely managed to avoid his end by using Iron Defense in emergency …

"Iron Tail!"

But still met his end when the monster's gigantic tail swatted him against a wall. Ash returned him in disbelief.

"That's cheating…"

"No." Bruno retorted. "This is the strength of an Elite Four. Next Pokémon?"

The boy's eyes narrowed.

"I was thinking about using Sandshrew but it's simply not worth it. Pikachu…"

"Do you realize your little Pokémon's electric attacks do nothing to Steelix thanks to his secondary Ground type?"

"Crap!"

Ash contemplated his options. Fearow would be useless since he didn't want to listen, Sandshrew would most likely soil herself when she met the monster and Pikachu was powerless. Great. Something tugged the boy's pants. He looked down, only to see his long-time partner with sparks on his cheeks.

"What? You want to fight?"

"Pika!"

The boy frowned.

"You have a lot of Electric attacks. And if I remember, Silver said Steel types are incredible defense-speaking."

"Pikachu!" (I still can take him!)

"Alright …"

Pikachu fearlessly faced Steelix whose eyes narrowed at the sight of the rodent.

"Steeeliiix-lix?" (You don't think you can beat me, do you?)

"Pika-pikachu chuka…" (Yes, for Jigglypuff and Wartortle …)

Settlix's grin seemed to widen. Before Bruno could give an order, the beast had launched a Crunch. However, the spot he aimed for was empty. Pikachu jumped on its head and slammed it with Iron Tail.

"Kachuka!" (Too slow!)

Steelix roared and turned to send a big Dragon Breath Pikachu swiftly evaded. He retaliated by a Swift in the eyes, much to Steelix's displeasure.

"Steelix-lix!" (You puny rodent!)

Pikachu jumped down and rushed with Iron Tail charged. Soon, he had reached the speed of sound. In a mighty swing of his tail, the mouse scored a hit on Settlix's armor … and only caused a dent. The Iron Snake Pokémon grinned hugely. It hit the ground with its heavy tail, causing a violent earthquake. Pikachu was trapped within it and the rocks that assaulted him gave him no mercy. When the attack faded, the electric rodent was out. Ash ran at him.

"Pikachu!"

(End music)

Pikachu turned to him and had a faint smile. Bruno returned Steelix.

"That was a nice fight. Though they are not of Elite level yet, your Pokémon are definitely stronger than I expected. It seems this week did you good…" He looked at the sky. "Midday already. Time flies fast… Silver should be here soon. Get ready."

The boy nodded. He had just finished packing his things when his mentor arrived, riding Odin.

"How did it go?"

Then he saw the face of his student and turned to Bruno.

"What did you do to him?"

His voice was cold his eyes icy. Bruno shivered.

"I fought him in a Pokémon battle using a Pokémon I recently caught, a giant Steelix that was plaguing the area. Your kid is strong. He managed to beat Hitmonchan."

"Doesn't explain the dark face." The man frowned. "Sevii Islands are far away. I'll talk to Ash during the flight. You better watch out, Bruno…"

Without a word, Ash climbed behind him. The two took flight and left the area. As promised, during the trip, Silver questioned the boy on what happened during the week. Ash sighed.

"It was horrible. And I mean it."

He told him everything that happened while he was with Bruno, not forgetting a single detail. This caused Silver to chuckle.

"Training from Hell, eh? Welcome in the world of Elites. Anything else you want to say?"

Ash nodded… and told him of the fight between his team and the giant Onix, complete with Jigglypuff's struggle against Steelix. He finished with the one-sided fight that he had against the Elite. Silver froze.

"He didn't… Arceus dammit, I thought I warned him!" He growled. "We're close from Four Island. As soon as you're with Lorelei, I'm going back to Hideaway and take care of that guy. Those guts … I'm going to reap them off! No one uses you as an Onix bait, no matter what the reason is. And if he wanted that damn Steelix, then he had to use his own Pokémon, that son of a bitch!"

Ash winced. Alright, Bruno was in troubles. They reached Four Island as the sun was setting. Lorelei was waiting for them.

"Took you long enough."

"Sorry, it's quite a trip between here and the Hideaway Mons. Anyway, I have to head back quickly. Can you take care of him?"

"That's what was planned."

"And let him rest. His training with Bruno was intense. One last thing … don't do like the other blockhead and do something foolish."

Lorelei raised a brow.

"Blockhead? What did Bruno do?"

"Used the kid as an Onix bait and had his Pokémon save him. They ended up facing a giant Steelix."

The woman sighed.

"I knew Bruno was an idiot... Ash, is it?"

The boy turned to her.

"Yes?"

"Go settle. Your room is on the first floor, it's the one with a Dewgong on the door."

"Alright." He made a few steps before turning to her. "What are we gonna do?"

Lorelei crossed her arms.

"Knowing Bruno, he most likely made you work your muscles. Starting tomorrow, we are going to work on your brain. Get some rest. You will need it if you want to study properly."

Ash frowned. Contrary to Gary, he wasn't exactly the brainy type.

"Why do I have the feeling the week's gonna be long?"

"Pika..." Pikachu sighed.

"Do you have a problem?" Lorelei asked.

"No ... It's just that I'm not used to reading books to learn. I remember better by doing and observing."

The Elite frowned.

"We will have to change that. Aside from being an Elite Four and Ice specialist, I am also a class teacher." Her eyes narrowed. "So you can easily guess what will be tomorrow's planning."

"Going to school?"

"Almost. Rest now. I want your head to be clear enough to study."

The boy obeyed. Not only Lorelei was as cold as her favorite element, but she gave a very strict feeling, exactly like the one a severe teacher would give.

"Better not mess around her, right buddy?"

Pikachu strongly nodded. Fortunately, after a good shower, dinner and a long night in a warm and soft bed, Ash was in a good enough shape to start his training. When he came down, Lorelei was coming back from one of her lectures.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Then release your Pokémon. They are free to do as they want as long as they don't wreck the house." She took five books. "I want you to read them all. You have until this evening to do it. Once you're done, I will ask you questions about their content. The higher you score, the better."

"And... if I get bad grades?"

"Then I'll give you exercises that will make your routines with Bruno look like paradise."

The kid gulped. Loudly. Also, his skin took a significantly paler shade. Even Pikachu's ears and tail had dropped.

"Pikachu..." (This is gonna hurt...)

The books weren't so thick whatsoever, contrary to what Ash had feared. After releasing his Pokémon and giving them instructions, he looked at the five books.

"Let's see... Kanto's history since it's foundation, An in-dephts study of Ice types, Living habits of forest Pokémon, Mysteries of the sea and How to use Pokémon types for noobs... What?"

Pikachu raised an ear when he saw the last book.

"Pikachu... do you really think I'm a noob?"

The yellow mouse shook his head. His friend was quite intelligent actually when it came to fighting. After some thinking, the boy took the third volume. The content was interesting, with very clear explanations and pictures to illustrate. It wasn't like one of those annoying thesaurus full of words and no picture. Ash read it from first to last page, even returning to points that had picked his interest. When Lorelei came back later, he was starting Kanto's history.

"I see you've finished Living habits of forest Pokémon. How did you find it?"

"Interesting. There's forest near Pallet Town. Silver and I used to go and watch the Pokémon living here. The book helped me fill the holes."

The woman nodded.

"That's good. What have you studied before?"

"Well, I've been to elementary school and my father and I used to observe Pokémon in the wild. He taught me about the many Legendary Pokémon and, since he came with me during my journey, he taught me a lot about Pokémon battling."

Lorelei frowned.

"By father, you mean Silver, am I not mistaken?"

"Yes. He may not be my official or biological father, but he took care of me since I turned five, and he always protects me. He is and will remain the only one I call father."

The teacher nodded.

"I'll leave you to your readings. Since you seem interested..."

Ash returned to the history book. It was interesting, since the boy knew nothing about the history of the region. Next was Mysteries of the sea. The moment he started reading it, the boy knew Misty would love it. And indeed, the book held a lot of information regarding Water and sea-dwelling Pokémon. But it was very technique and Ash didn't remember everything from it. However, he promised himself to keep it for his friend. In the final chapters were some legends and tales regarding the ocean. One was the fight between Groudon and Kyogre, which led to the apparition of landmasses and sea bodies. Another was more scientific and talked about the possibility of an influence of the three islands around Shamouti over the sea current that regulated the climate over Kanto and the Orange Islands.

According to the book, the three islands were home of the three Legendary Birds, with the Ice Island homing Articuno, the Thunder Island being the nesting ground of Zapdos and the Fire Island being ruled by Moltres. The scientists had discovered that the Legendaries influenced the water here, with the Fire and Ice Islands controlling the water's temperature while the Thunder Island gave it its energy. The place was called the Cradle of Life and considered as the origin of life in the world. Finally, a last unknown force caused the flow to move and become the current regulating Kanto's climate. The natives had a ritual, as well as a prophecy. A prophecy that said:

_Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice or Lightning, lest these titans wreck destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's great guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail, and thus the world shall turn to ash. O Chosen One, into thine hands bring together all three. Their treasures combine tame the Beast of the Sea._

Ash closed the book. Yep, Misty would definitely like it. He took the book regarding Ice types and read it. He took special attention to the different Ice attacks and the strengths and weaknesses of the type, as well as how to better teach Ice moves to Pokémon. Finally, he checked How to use Pokémon types for noobs. To his surprise, the book was very complete and gave detailed explanations on the mechanisms behind each type, as well as the dynamics behind their relationship with each other. It was the kind of book that turned a dumb guy into a genius in two hours. Finally, as the clock was ringing six PM, Lorelei returned.

"Are you done?"

"Yes."

"Perfect. Let's start now."

The two sat on a table. Lorelei took the book bout Ice Pokémon and started asking.

"How many Ice Pokémon exist in the world?"

Ash closed his eyes.

"Well… counting the dual-types, thirty-one."

"What is the most powerful Ice attack?"

"Blizzard."

"What are a pure Ice Pokémon's weaknesses?"

"Fighting, Rock, Steel Fire."

"What types are weak to Ice?"

"Flying, Ground, Grass, Dragon and Water."

"False."

Ash raised a brow. Lorelei corrected.

"Water resists Ice. Let's continue. What is Eevee's Ice evolution?"

"Glaceon! Silver gave me a lesson about Eeveelutions."

"Right. Tell me… about the three known Legendaries having an Ice type."

The boy laughed.

"Easy: it's Articuno, Regice and Kyurem. You can't beat me on Legendary Pokémon."

"How about you give me the three evolutionary lines that have two stages in their evolution?"

"Well, there is the Swinub line, the Vanillite line and … the Snorunt line?"

"Wrong. Snorunt have only one evolutionary stage. It usually evolves into Glalie but if female and exposed to a Dawn Stone..."

"It evolves into Froslass, an Ice-Ghost female-only Pokémon."

Lorelei nodded.

"Only two errors. Nice try. Now, let's see what you remembered about forest Pokémon..."

The teacher gave Ash a series of questions he answered perfectly, soon followed by historical questions. The boy had more troubles answering but still did good. Lorelei continued with Pokémon types, which was fairly easy and finished with Mysteries of the sea. Ash did nicely to the test. Finally …

"What part of the book did you find the most interesting?"

Ash raised a brow.

"What part of… Well, all the book was interesting, to the point I was wondering if I could borrow it for a friend." Lorelei's eyes narrowed. "Alright, alright! My favorite part … was the last one, where they talk about this theory regarding the Shamouti Island, the one explaining how the influence of the Ice, Fire and Lightning Islands influence the climate over Kanto and the Orange Islands."

Lorelei nodded.

"I see. I admit, I am surprised that you mention this part as your favorite. I didn't take you for the kind to like scientific theories."

"The theory is related to the Legendary Birds. Actually, I'm curious to know if it's true and they are really at the origin of the underwater current."

"So your interest was only picked because it talked about Legendaries?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, I have a huge fondness for tales and legends. So when I hear one of them could be true ..."

Lorelei nodded.

"That will be all for today. You have free time until dinner. Make good use of it."

Ash grinned. In the end, that was interesting. Pikachu jumped on his shoulder.

"Pika-pikachu?"

"It was nice. I wonder what she'll give me tomorrow."

Tomorrow? Five other books. However, they were more complex than the others. More complex, but no less interesting. Ash literally ate them. It greatly surprised his partner who seriously didn't take him for the brainy type. But the boy was curious and even though he had a hard time remembering the most complicated parts, he usually remembered the most important. Lorelei was quite satisfied with his work, so she decided to increase the difficulty by giving him more and more hard-to-understand volumes. Of course, there were times where her student was slacking a bit. A slap of her quirt on the table was quick to make him snap out and return to his readings. However, as time went Ash started to feel itchy. In a book talking about status-inflicting moves, he found a description of Sing that he thought might help Jigglypuff control her move. So, since he was getting bored reading books, he decided to try it. At once. When Lorelei came back to see the sofa empty and one of the books missing, her fists clenched. Then she heard a singing voice outside. Taking her quirt, she went out.

"Come on, Jigglypuff, try again. Remember, you must work on your vocal cords. According to the book, it's the way you manipulate the air through your vocal cords that affects the power of Sing. Your lips merely control the sound and the area of effect."

Jigglypuff took a long breath and let the air pass through her throat. She started to make scales. Ash nodded.

"Good. I don't feel that sleepy."

"Ash Ketchum, what are you _doing?_ "

The boy almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the yelling voice in his back. Lorelei was here, looking at him with angry eyes. He gulped.

"Oh, err… I had found a chapter talking about Sing and I wanted to try teaching..."

The quirt lashed against the stone wall of the hose.

"Return to your reading, _right now!_ Before I give you more books to assimilate. And don't go out until you're finished, _am I clear?_ "

The teacher's fingers were thumping on her weapon. Ash took a step back, visibly intimidated. The quirt lashed once more, causing the kid to run inside and return to his work. Jigglypuff sighed and followed him. When Lorelei went to see them later, she found the pink ball and Pikachu on Ash's shoulders, showing words on the book. Every time, Ash was spelling the word and explaining it to them. The teacher raised a brow. He was teaching his Pokémon to read? Now that was something new. But what surprised her more was that Jigglypuff answered by a series of gestures similar to…

"Sign language, eh? I wonder where and why he learned it." She left with a half smile. "Teaching his Pokémon to read. That's a new one."

Later, when she questioned him about the content of the books, Ash answered without making a single mistake. There was a book about Aura in that day's pile. Needless to say the boy knew the subject on the tip of his fingers thanks to Silver's lessons. Lorelei seemed quite happy that evening. So, next morning, she took him to a circular building. Inside were dozens and dozens of shelves covered in books. Ash was wide-eyed.

"Wow..."

"This is the biggest library of the Orange Islands. I am tasked with keeping it. At least half of of the knowledge of this world can be found here."

The boy whistled. Half of the world's knowledge, that was a lot! Lorelei turned to him.

"I noticed some subjects interested you more than the others. Aura, myths and legends, Pokémon lifestyle… Also, you kept the book on the sea Pokémon. Is there something you want to do with it?"

"Yes. A friend of mine wants to become a Water specialist. I was thinking about borrowing it for her."

"Granted. Your grades were at least good enough for me to lend it to you. Also … Here."

She came to a shelf and took a book she gave the boy. It was about Pikachu and its line. Ash took it.

"Pikachu is one of your strongest Pokémon, as well as your favorite. This book will help you take care of him better."

Ash turned to the teacher.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome. Consider it a gift for your hard work."

"Gift? I can keep it?"

"Yes."

"Yay!"

Lorelei looked at him with surprisingly kind eyes.

"You'll spend your day in the library. Take any book you want, fill your head. I'll come back this evening and you'll tell me what you've learned."

"Alright."

The evening quickly came, too fast for Ash's taste. He had found a book talking about the creation of the world by Arceus, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina and hadn't seen time go, so he was surprised when Lorelei came back.

"Ready for your test?"

The boy nodded. He had learned several things from his readings and managed to remember them all. The Elite nodded.

"Tomorrow is our last day together. We will have a battle during which we'll see if you really remembered all your learned this week."

"Already? That went fast..."

The woman smiled, much to Ash's pleasure. It was rare that the strict woman had a genuine smile. He guessed it came along the icy personality most Ice specialists had. Then he remembered.

"Wait, a battle?"

"Yes."

"Damn."

Lorelei raised a brow.

"You have a problem?"

"Yes. When facing Bruno, I was only able to take one of his Pokémon out… through pure luck."

"And now you're afraid to meet the same fate at my hands."

"Right."

Lorelei shrugged.

"Then you just saw the difference between a Gym Leader and an Elite Four." She looked at the boy straight in the eyes. "You're going to challenge me, Ash Ketchum. It doesn't matter if you win or lose, or how many Pokémon you can take. I want to see what you got from this week. Consider it your *final exam*."

Ash sighed in defeat.

"Why do I feel it won't end well?"

The next morning, Lorelei and Ash faced each other in a small arena. The Elite set the rules.

"You will use three Pokémon. No switching. I have six Pokémon with me."

"What? Six? How am I meant to beat them all?"

"The question isn't if you can't beat them all." Lorelei retorted. "I am way out of your league that you could manage such a feat. The question is more: how many can you take with you? Remember, I want to see if what you learned this week served you something." Her eyes narrowed. "That's what I meant when I said it doesn't matter if you win or lose. What matters is if you can use the knowledge you got to your advantage… or not."

The boy nodded.

"Alright, I get it." A grin crossed his face. "If it's just about that, you won't be deceived… Bring it on."

The Elite answered his grin.

"Right on it, kiddo."

(Play [Hunter's Chance](https://youtu.be/6_iqiPErEDg), Final Fantasy IX)

Both took a poké-ball.

"Dewgong, go!"

"Jigglypuff, I choose you!"

The pink ball and white sea lion faced each other. Lorelei raised a brow.

"Jigglypuff? Isn't it one of the Pokémon you taught to read?"

"Not just that." Ash grinned. "Jigglypuff, Sing!"

Lorelei took a step back. According to Lance's reports, Ash's Jigglypuff had no control over Sing, which led to any listener falling asleep. If the pink Pokémon started singing … Jigglypuff took a microphone and hummed the sweetest, softest lullaby one had ever heard. Lorelei shivered. Suddenly, it was as if she was wrapped in a warm silken blanket near a fire place. The song was so nice and appeasing… The Elite had to slap herself not to fall asleep. Coming back to her senses, she noticed that Ash wasn't fazed the slightest by the move. Unlike Dewgong, who was curled on the clay ground. This brought a dawning realization upon her.

"Jigglypuff… has mastered Sing!?"

"Yep. Thanks to some good nighttime training, we finally did it. That book that described sound-based attacks sure came in handy."

Lorelei couldn't help but clap her hands.

"Then you have my full respect, Ash Ketchum. Not only you managed to teach several of your Pokémon to read, but you also helped one of them master an attack it had evident problems with in less than a week."

Ash blushed a bit.

"Thank you. Well, here's the rest! Jigglypuff, Wake-Up Slap!"

Jigglypuff grinned evilly. Next thing Dewgong knew, it was woken up by the strongest slap it ever felt. For a moment, the creature thought its neck would snap. But it didn't. Growling and rising, the Sea Lion Pokémon glared daggers at the pink ball. Lorelei frowned.

"The combo you used was nice. I wasn't expecting Jigglypuff to have mastered Sing. And following with a Fighting move..."

"Ice is weak to Fighting. I used what I learned."

Lorelei nodded.

"Fine, let's continue. Dewgong, Aurora Beam!"

"Jigglypuff, Light Shield! Get ready to follow!"

Lorelei frowned. The Ice Beam bounced harmlessly on the light hexagons. When it ended, Jigglypuff had filled her lungs with air. What followed was a massive Hyper Voice that left its marks in the ground. Dewgong was blasted away, but Ash wasn't finished. Her hands glowing white, Jigglypuff jumped at her opponent to deliver a bone-crushing Brick Break. Lorelei nodded as she returned her Pokémon.

"An excellent course of actions. You took the advantage right from the start with your Sing-Wake-Up Slap combo, managed to counter my attack and finished with an impressive display of power. The reports Silver gave us were accurate. Your Pokémon are strong." She took a poké-ball. "But everyone has its limits. Cloyster, go!"

Ash frowned.

"Damn, if I remember well, Cloyster's Defense is huge. That won't be easy… and I can't switch for Pikachu. Jigglypuff, get ready. This won't be easy at all."

Jigglypuff growled and took her stance.

"Cloyster, Icicle Crash!"

"Jigglypuff, Light Screen!"

The massive icicle almost broke through the shield. The boy's eyes narrowed. Jigglypuff was in troubles.

"Cloyster, follow up, don't let her catch a break!"

The Bivalve Pokémon charged a beam of glowing energy. Ash froze.

"Oh crap, Hyper Beam… Jigglypuff, Light Screen quick!"

This time, the wall of light couldn't stop the attack. Jigglypuff was sent rolling and rose, anger in her eyes.

"Jiggly..."

Filling her lungs, she unleashed a strong Hyper Voice. Cloyster merely hid inside his shell. Ash growled.

"Jigglypuff, follow with Brick Break!"

The Pokémon obeyed, but her strength wasn't that of Clefable. The move barely made a dent on the the Pokémon's solid defense. Then, swift as lightning, he released the attack he had charged while hiding: Icicle Spear. Jigglypuff howled in pain and was sent back to Ash's side. Swirls could almost be seen in her eyes, but not yet. It wasn't like the girl to leave with her opponent still standing. Like her other friends, she had her honor as Ash's Pokémon. And just like Clefable's was to annihilate those who underestimated her with her deadly punches, Jigglypuff's honor was to never do down alone. Her voice echoed in the arena in the most powerful Perish Song she had sang. Even against Bruno's Steelix, the move hadn't been used with so much face. The moment she heard it, Lorelei knew Cloyster was doomed. By her own fault. Because she couldn't switch it. Jigglypuff finally crumbled and was returned by her Trainer.

"You did really great, Jigglypuff. You can be proud of you. Take some rest now, you deserved it."

He took a poké-ball and sent it out. It was Wartortle.

"Wartortle, hold on tight. Lorelei will give it her all to defeat you so she can get to Pikachu, but her Cloyster has only three moves left. I'm counting on you to make them useless."

Wartortle chuckled.

"Wartortle, tle? Wartor-wartortle tle." (Perish Song, eh? He must've been a challenge.)

Lorelei frowned.

"Using Perish Song to secure victory against a Pokémon too strong? Nicely done."

Ash looked down.

"I don't like using Perish Song. I only use it as a last resort when I know it's the only way to win. Cloyster is tough. Pikachu would have had some troubles against him, but after he went down, I would've been left with only Wartortle and you have more dangerous Pokémon. I prefer saving Pikachu for the end."

"At least you think things through. Fine. Let's take care of that turtle. Cloyster, Take Down!"

"Iron Defense!"

Wartortle withdrew in his shell and turned it into steel. Cloyster bounded on it harmlessly.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Iron Defense!"

The stream of water were here again powerless against the strong will-fueled defense. Lorelei closed her eyes. She wouldn't break through. But …

"Screech!"

The horrible sound made by the screeching of the two shells of the Bivalve Pokémon was enough to make any listener jerk in pain. The move done, Cloyster fainted. Lorelei grinned.

"You're not the only one who can go out with a smile, Ash Ketchum."

The boy growled. The move had sharply reduced Wartortle's Defense stat. Well it didn't matter.

"You know, Lorelei, my specialty isn't large defensive wall-like Pokémon. Mine are more the kind that take opponents in the blink of an eye. Strong and fast, that's how I like my partners. So, so what if Wartortle's defense is down? You can't touch, you can't beat. Bring your next team member now..."

The Elite nodded.

"Cocky teen. You want the rest? Alright. Lapras, go!"

Ash frowned. Both Lapras and Wartortle were resistant against Ice and Water move. Lorelei knew it too. Yet …

"Fast and powerful, you say? But is it as fast as lighting?"

Ash's eyes widened.

"Lightning?"

"Lapras, Thunder!"

Ash was so surprised that he didn't see the move coming. Wartortle fell, fried by the attack. The boy was shocked.

"You… really..."

"Weren't waiting for that? I keep this move especially for such occasion."

Ash snarled. To him, such a move was borderline cheating. Alright, no more holding back. Not that he did before.

"Pikachu, Mjollnir!"

Pikachu jumped in the arena, charged the tail attack, ran to Lapras at the speed of sound and slammed it with all his might to the Transport Pokémon's throat. Even though the creature belonged to an Elite Four, it couldn't resist the strike and was sent away to Lorelei's feet. Ash's eyes were burning.

"I too can inflict 'lightning-fast' defeat."

Lorelei was speechless. She had heard of the kid's reputation, but it was the first time she experienced his strength first hand. She took a poké-ball.

"Fine. Then let's see how you do against Jynx."

Pikachu frowned as he saw the Human Shape Pokémon appear. Both opponents stared at one another, waiting for their Trainer to command …

"Pikachu, Thunder!"

"Jynx, Psychic!"

The wave of thunder hit the mental shockwave and fought it, but was unable to win. Pikachu swiftly jumped aside and ran with Volt Tackle. Taking her breath, Jynx sent a huge Blizzard to the mouse but Pikachu really deserved his name of Fleeting Flash. He dodged the attack and jumped before following with Mjöllnir. The dual-type Pokémon stumbled back, much to Lorelei's annoyance.

"Your Starter is well-trained, Ash. I have to commend you on that. But it ends now. Jynx, Hyper Beam!"

Jynx fired a huge beam of energy Pikachu dodged in-extremist. He rushed once again with Volt Tackle, using the fact Jynx was paralyzed to strike. But Lorelei wasn't kidding. She gave an order her Pokémon still managed to carry out: Hyper Voice. And she ordered that just as Pikachu was jumping. The poor rodent couldn't dodge in midair and fell, having taken the blow full force.

"Jynx, finish with Drain Punch."

Still unable to move, his sense of hearing having totally given way, Pikachu was unable to avoid the hand that sipped his remaining life force. Ash could only acknowledge his defeat. Silver arrived the next minute.

(End music)

"Had a fight? How did it go?"

"Badly." Ash answered darkly. "Even if I win the Conference, I'll have to wait a little before thinking of challenging the Elite Four."

Silver turned to Lorelei.

"Odds?"

"Two to four and I had six Pokémon. You raised the kid well, Silver."

The man came to his student, who was healing his teammates, and caressed his head.

"That was pretty nice. You tell me the full details later?"

"Yeah. It's time I pack my things."

An hour later, the two were flying to the Power Plant near Vermillion City, which was Agatha's home.

"Well, how did it go?"

Ash held his head.

"I never read that much in my life before. But in the end, it was useful. I learned a few interesting things, managed to teach Pikachu and Jigglypuff to read, Jigglypuff finally mastered Sing and used it to beat Lorelei's Dewgong, I found a book I wanna give to Misty and that's more or less all. Oh yes, and her Lapras crushed Wartortle with a single Thunder attack."

Silver couldn't help but laugh.

"Here again, welcome among the Elites. Strength with Bruno, Intelligence with Lorelei… I wonder what granny Agatha and Lance are going to teach you …"

Ash looked at his mentor.

"How is Agatha exactly?"

The man's grin told nothing good.

"Devious. Very devious."


	23. Ash's training from Hell

When you see yourself in a crowded room,  
Do you think I'll snitch? Are you pistol-whipped?  
Do you step in line or release the glitch?  
Can you fall asleep with a panic switch?

When you see yourself in a crowded room,  
Do you think I'll snitch? Are you pistol whipped?  
Do you step in line or release the glitch?  
Do you think she'll sleep with a panic?  
Panic Switch, Silversun Pickups

"How is Agatha exactly?"

The man's grin told nothing good.

"Devious. Very devious."

Ash frowned.

"It's not gonna end well …"

"Hey, you're the one who asked for help in training!"

"I didn't ask for that kind of training from Hell!"

"Well, next time be careful what you wish for."

The boy sighed. There were no ways he would win this argument. He put his head on his mentor's back.

"That apart, how is she, really?"

Silver smiled more kindly.

"Agatha is a clever old woman. She looks weak and powerless but do not forget one single second she is an Elite Four. And do not forget her specialty is Ghost Pokémon. Those purple creatures are naturally tricky and their Trainer is exactly the same. So no matter how she acts toward you, keep in mind she is viciously dangerous and could beat Bruno and Lorelei near effortlessly. I have no ideas what she will teach you or how she will do it, but I have one advice for you: always stay on your guards."

Night was almost here when they reached the Power Plant. Agatha was waiting for them. The old woman was wearing a long purple dress with a white apron and was walking with a short wooden cane. Her hairs were blonde with a few white bangs confirming her old age and her eyes were a dark shade of purple. A Gengar was floating at her side.

"I was waiting for you, Ash, Silver."

"Nice to see you again, Agatha." Silver smiled.

"Good evening, Master Agatha." Ash said respectfully. If that old woman was really that dangerous, better get on her good side. Agatha looked at him.

"So this is the boy who defeated a Legendary and received the Master Ball. A little green behind the ears, but I can feel he is a promising lad." She turned to Silver. "I get it you are leaving now."

"Yes. I have to free Bruno. He's been frozen solid for a whole week…"

Agatha raised a brow.

"What did he do?"

"Used the kid as an Onix bait. I didn't take it well."

Ash turned to him with wide eyes.

"You **WHAT?** "

Silver couldn't help but chuckle.

"I told you no one does you harm and gets away with it. Bye, Ashling!"

On that, he jumped on Odin and left. Ash gulped loudly.

"He froze an _Elite_ of all the people simply because he mistreated me… Seriously, there are times he creeps me out!"

"And soon, you will be more." Agatha grinned viciously.

Ash clenched his fist, his Aura ready to flare.

"What will my training be?"

"Easy. There's a quite dangerous area in the Power Plant. A little dark hell filled with wild Ghost, Electric and Poison Pokémon. You are going to spend the whole week here. If you survive, I'll tell Silver you are ready to train with Lance. Otherwise, I'll tell you to drop training with us."

Ash frowned. He had just complained about the harshness of his training with the Elite Four. Now he had the chance of seeing it end… but the kid still had his pride. He looked at the old woman.

"Challenge accepted."

Agatha nodded.

"Daring you are. I like that. True Trainers should never back down from a challenge. This way, please."

She led him to a ruined part of the facility. The area was dark and threatening. Ash frowned and took his Pokémon out, then he made a small Aura Sphere. Thanks to the glowing energy, the darkness felt less threatening. Before entering, Ash turned to Agatha.

"And… how am I gonna do for cleaning, eating and so on?"

"I will always leave meals in the area where you can easily find them. As for cleaning, there were once living quarters in the place. The shower is still intact."

Ash frowned. This would have to do. His Pokémon on his heels, he entered the area… and was immediately assaulted by three Magnemite. Sandshrew squealed and instantly sent a whirl of sand in retaliation. Ash grinned.

"Of course! Magnemite have a quadruple weakness to Ground! Sandshrew, if we meet more of these guys, you're up to the job!"

The little armadillo looked at him with desperate eyes. Ash turned to Wartortle.

"Wartortle, use Water Pulse to turn the sand into mud!"

Wartortle obeyed. Soon, the three Magnemite were trapped on the floor in a pool of muddy sand. The boy nodded.

"Sandshrew, finish them with Earth Power!"

A pillar of yellow energy surged from the ground, leaving the three Pokémon defeated. Ash looked at them pensively. He had one slot left for a Pokémon … After checking the three creatures, he finally caught one.

"Angelo said he wanted to specialize in Electric Pokémon. I'll give him this Magnemite when I go back."

It quickly appeared that, as Agatha said it would, the place was dangerous. Creepy and dangerous. Between the immaterial Ghastly and their evolutions from Arbok, Wheezing and other Magneton doing surprise attacks, the place was all but friendly. Ash quickly found the living quarters. However the shower wasn't working, but there was a bathtub. Thanks to Wartortle's carefully controlled Scald, the boy could enjoy warm baths to ease the tension built during his days. And when we say tension … Put it simply, Ash couldn't catch a break. He spent the first day looking for the habitable area and was assaulted by three Haunter, a pair of Arbok, a Wheezing, a swarm of Magnemite, a Magneton, a group of Ghastly led by a Gengar and even a Muk! And it was even worse the second day. So, the third day, Ash had enough.

"Okay. Since everything out there is set on killing us, we'll give them one hell of a good reason to stop! Who's with me?"

Everyone was, even the quite reluctant Sandshrew. As for Fearow, he respected a good old roaring rampage of revenge. And if he could take part of it, all the better. So the little group went commando on the place, roaming the sector like devils out of hell. Agatha wanted them to survive? Fine, they would. What better place for that than the top of the food chain? So they climbed it. From the third day to the fifth, they spent their time climbing each little link one by one until they finally stood on top. By the end of the fifth day, they could walk the ruined corridors with a smile on their lips, knowing full well that none of the local fauna would be crazy enough to attack. Or so they thought.

Agatha was observing them with the help of her Gengar. Ash's actions greatly pleased her, bringing a smile on her old face.

"That was exactly what I was expecting from you, Ash Ketchum. In places so harsh, only the strongest survives. The strength you got from Bruno and the intelligence you got with Lorelei were finally put to good use. And I like your nasty little rampage. Hard to believe that under the kindness you show, you have a seriously vicious streak."

But troubles were far from over. Ash and co. weren't exactly on top. There was another creature, a giant Haunter called Black Fog. And that Haunter was very territorial … One night, Ash and his friends were sleeping peacefully in their makeshift bed when a shadow crept over them. Ash was happy. He was dreaming he was flying on Pidgeot's back, racing with Silver who was on Odin. The race was going on fine … until a storm broke. Soon, the sky became a dark cloudy hell filled with thunder and lightning. The boy tried to dodge the bolts the best he could, Silver doing the same. Suddenly, a beam of lightning struck Silver who howled in pain. He and Odin started to pummel down.

" _Father!_ "

Ash screamed as he forced Pidgeot into a high-speed dive to catch his father by heart. He had almost reached him when the clouds took the threatening form of an evil head with razor teeth and glowing menacing eyes. Silver and Odin fell in the mouth that closed over them. Ash was about to challenge the clouds when inner lightning made them glow rather violently. The boy could only watch in helplessness as his mentor and his mount were fried to death. Unable to stand it, the boy threw his head backward.

" **NOOOO!!!** "

Too caught in his sadness, he only realized to late the cloud-made clawed hands that trapped him and Pidgeot into the same lightning trap…

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

Ash rose up with a start, frightening Pikachu who had been sleeping on his bare chest. Sweating and short on breath, the kid took time to realize his nightmare had only been a bad dream. A very bad dream.

"Pikapi? Pikachu?" (Ash? Are you alright?)

The boy nodded.

"It's nothing, Pikachu. Just a nightmare. A very ugly nightmare..."

He was about to fall asleep when his Aura senses kicked in, warning him of a foreign presence. Jigglypuff's ears rose as she scanned the area. Due to her nature as a singer, the pink ball's sense of hearing was naturally sharp. Soon, all the group was wide-awake. Fearow frowned.

"Fearowrow fearow fearow rowfea-row. Fearow fea-row." (There's something bad going on there. I feel it in my gizzards.)

"Wartor-tortle." (Talk about it.)

The six scanned the darkness, looking for something abnormal. The place was unusually silent. And if there was one thing Ash learned from his adventures in the wild, it was that real danger was silent. So he made an Aura Sphere and used the mystical power to enhance his senses. And sure enough …

"Above!"

The glowing energy orb flew to the ceiling. It did nothing but to outline a strange shadow. A shadow that retaliated with Shadow Ball, scattering the team. Everyone quickly got back on their feet, only to freeze when the monster got out of the dark. It was Black Fog, the Terror of Kanto, the biggest and most vicious Haunter ever known since the dawn of time. People called it the Spawn of Giratina, who would have been banned from the Reverse World for its so cruel behavior by the Renegade Pokémon itself. Renegade Pokémon who had been killed and sealed in the Reverse World by Arceus himself for having waged war against its siblings, Dialga and Palkia. Ash gulped when he saw it.

"Uh-oh..."

Before the group could react, Black Fog sent a flurry of Shadow Punch against them and knocked Ash out. Jigglypuff closed her eyes and let the attack pass through her. Being Normal type, Ghost attacks were useless against her. As for Sandshrew and Wartortle, one just curled on herself and the other retracted in his shell. The giant Haunter turned to the pink ball who was readying Ice Punch. Before she could attack, the girl was knocked by Dark Pulse. Wartortle had prepared a Water Pulse. His opponent countered the water sphere by a Shadow Ball that knocked him out. Now only little Sandshrew remained. And she was scared. Black Fog turned to her, an evil smile on his lips.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"Well well, what do we have here? A scared little rodent who knows nothing but to curl and hide behind her Trainer's legs! Hahahaha!"

Sandshrew whined and stepped back until the walls blocked her.

"Please, we did nothing wrong. Spare us!"

"Spare you? When this boy has such delicious dreams? When your fear is a shining beacon in this shadowy place? When your friends are so full of life my belly is growling with hunger?"

He turned to Ash and caressed the cheek of the unconscious boy.

"He looks so sweet when he is asleep! What is he dreaming of? Oh? It's that silver-haired man again? Those two seem close! Let us - wait, I'll keep him last. A good dessert is a dish served cold. Let's first start with … that Fearow, who seems so full of life and anger. Oh? His dreams are quite bloody and violent! Hmm… So delightful!"

He started to consume Fearow's dreams, gorging himself with the bird's strength. Sandshrew looked at him, unable to do anything but beg.

"Please, stop that! We didn't do anything against you! You don't have to do such an ugly thing!"

"Silence!" Black Fog violently retorted. "Your pitiful begging is starting to get on my nerves!"

Fearow started to shake and trash as his dream turned into a nightmare. The giant Haunter turned to Ash. Extending his giant tongue, he slowly drained the boy's life energy.

"So good! What a relief from your annoying voice! This boy … I'm going to keep him in a comfortable coma, eating his life and devouring his dreams like humans savor a good dish, one lick at a time, one dream after another..."

Ash frowned and shivered, muttering "Silver..." in his sleep. But he couldn't wake up. Sandshrew saw all this. And she was getting desperate. Clenching her little fists, she looked straight at the Haunter.

"Stop it, Black Fog! I won't let you harm Ash anymore!"

Black Fog turned to her.

"Because you think a scared Rattata like you will stop me!"

Sandshrew took a long breath.

"That's right, you scare me. In fact, a lot of things scare me. Ever since that day where that Persian snatched me from my home in Viridian Forest, I've been scared of almost anything. But not anymore. Ash is… someone very kind. His heart is made of pure gold and radiates brighter than the sun in Summer! And you are about to extinguish this light." Her eyes narrowed. "So yes, I am scared of you… not. A common trait of us, Ash's Pokémon, is that we are able to become incredibly powerful if he is threatened. And you just threatened him with a fate worse than death. So, for once, I'm going to forget my fear. I am going to forget that you are a Ghost type with Levitate, which means my Ground attacks are useless and that you are gigantic and powerful, to the point you beat us all in a few attacks. I am going to forget that you are the most powerful being of the Power Plant. But I am not going to forget that you are literally raping Master's mind all the while draining him from his strength. This I won't forget. And I won't forgive." Her voice was icy cold. "Black Fog, I am bringing you down."

On this, her body glowed and morphed until she was several feet taller, her back was covered with sharp brown spikes and her claws were now longer and razor-sharp. In other words, the shy and easily frightened Sandshrew was now a Sandslash. A Sandslash dead-set on challenging a giant Haunter if it meant protecting her Trainer. Black Fog's eyes widened.

"What!?"

(Play [The 13th Struggle](https://youtu.be/J5DZZVLqxVA), Kingdom Hearts II)

Without a word, Sandslash curled on herself and rolled toward the monster who growled.

"Rollout? You have to know me levitating will make this attack useless!"

As sudden as the attack was, Sandslash jumped out of it, her claws glowing like steel.

"I know."

The dual Metal Claw ended in Black Fog's eyes. The creature jerked back and screamed with such force that all the Power Plant heard it. And Sandslash was just getting started. Keeping her claws metallic, she chained with Fury Cutter, hacking and slashing the Ghost Pokémon's body. Black Fog finally managed to punch her back with Shadow Punch, but the girl didn't seem that phased by the attack. Instead, she landed on her paws and unleashed a furious Stone Edge. Her opponent growled as the rock splinters assaulted him. He retaliated with a Dark Pulse Sandslash defected by curling on herself. Since it sent her reeling in the wall, it was a good thing. Yet she rose again, covered in dirt and scratched from her multiple hard landings, still ready to attack. Her claws turned from metallic to yellowish and she started a mesmerizing dance that seemed to make her body even stronger. Black Fog flew a few feet back.

"Swords Dance?"

Then Sandslash's claws took an ominous dark color and she rushed like a meteor to the Haunter.

"Night Slash? Oh, no you don't!"

Charging his fists with dark energy, he answered her attack with his own Shadow Claw. Soon, the two were locked in a deadlock fight that seemed to be Close Combat with Night Slash and Shadow Claws. At that moment, the two really looked like kung-fu fighters. Haunters was powered by his anger, yet he was afraid of Sandslash's newly found power and determination. Sandslash was powered by a will harder than iron and a tranquil fury she had never shown before. Black Fog grazed her stomach, Sandslash drew a line over the left corner of his mouth, a Shadow Claw bounced on the Ground type's sharp spikes, a Night Slash missed a finger by half an inch, two attacks met in a cloud of smoke… From the smoke emerged a coldly furious Mouse Pokémon, Metal Claw charged, going headfirst against her giant opponent. The dual attack pinned it to the ground. And as if it wasn't enough, Sandslash landed on him with Rollout. Black Fog let out a strangled cry before fainting.

(End music)

Ash's eyes fluttered. As did the other Pokémon apart from the weary pangolin creature.

"Ow my head! It had to be the worst nightmare I ever had!"

A soft muzzle went rubbing against the bottom of his neck, causing him to go and scratch it lightly. The scratching was answered by a lick. Ash lowered his head and saw Sandshrew… or rather Sandslash, who was looking at him with sweet eyes. Not having his full mind, the boy raised a brow.

"...Who are you?"

Pikachu went by his side.

"Grmbl, someone has the name of the Tauros that hit me… huh?" The yellow mouse was just as surprised as his Trainer. "Who are you?"

"What, you too?" Sandslash said with surprise. "It's me, Sandshrew! It's just that I evolved!"

Then Pikachu saw the defeated Haunter behind the girl. Seeing the other team members were still waking up, it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

"You evolved… and you beat that thing?"

"If you think you guys can be the only ones to get dangerous when Ash is in troubles, you're wrong."

Pikachu raised an ear.

"What happened to the scared and shy Sandshrew you were?"

"Well… Let's say I forgot everything that made him so threatening when I faced him." Her eyes narrowed and her voice lowered. "That son of a Persian was mind-raping Ash and sucking his life, and he had just told me he would do like those strange Pokémon who keep their food alive and kill them one bit at a time! You really think that I would stand and watch?"

Pikachu froze.

"He did _what?_ "

Sandslash repeated each words Black Fog said, followed by her fight. Pikachu's cheeks were sparkling violently.

"Fucking son of Giratina, if you hadn't finished him off, I would have killed him for good. No one harms Ash when we're around!"

He turned to his friend and explained to him what happened in a few hand signs. Ash looked at Sandslash with surprise.

"Wow… Looks like you found a way to overcome your fears." He took her in his arms. "I'm really proud of you, Sandslash! You were incredible!"

Sandslash snuggled against her Trainer. The group returned to sleep, but still kept an ear awake in case. The sixth day happened rather event-less. If the locals weren't already scared enough of the boy and his friends, everyone had heard the echoes of the fight between Sandslash and Black Fog. And no one was foolish enough to try his luck against them. The seventh day finally came and Agatha took the group out.

"You performed perfectly, as I hoped." The old woman congratulated. "And Sandslash… that little rodent turned out to have quite a demeanor. I like people like that. Sweet on the outside, but dangerous as a Gyarados when something gets under their skin. In any case, you passed the test. Now there's just a little formality..."

Ash sighed.

"I guess we're in for another fight. What are the rules?"

"Two against two. No switching. Your Sandslash and another Pokémon against Gengar and Arbok."

"Sandslash and Wartortle."

So, young Trainer and old Elite faced one another.

(Play [Tension Rising](https://youtu.be/tRvAu4oWG4k), Kingdom Hearts II)

"Sandslash, go!"

"Arbok, on to the field!"

Snake and mouse faced one another. Ash had a smirk. He had the advantage.

"Arbok, Gunk Shot!"

"Sandslash, parry it with Defense Curl! Spin to defect it!"

The purple snake shot several balls of gunk Sandslash either defected it or evaded it with her fast rolling.

"Metal Claw!"

Sandslash jumped and aimed her steel-hard claws at Arbok's head, only for Agatha to order Bite on them. It only got one hand. Sandslash launched another attack that was countered by Poison Tail. The two fought like that for a moment before Arbok shot Poison Sting at Sandslash's face. The Mouse Pokémon jumped away and growled.

"Sandslash, Earthquake!"

Agatha nodded. The boy was strong and aggressive, just like she thought.

"Arbok, Poison Fang!"

The earth shook, setting the snake off balance. Yet, it still managed to slither with incredible speed to Sandslash and bite her muzzle. The girl immediately staggered.

"Follow with Poison Tail"!

The attack caught Sandslash in the chest and sent her reeling. When she rose, she was staggering.

"What?" Ash asked with surprise. Agatha grinned.

"Poison Fang is a move that badly poisons the opponent. The longer it goes, the more damage it takes."

The boy growled.

"Then we have to make it quick! Sandslash, listen! We don't have much time so we have to maneuver correctly. Come on, I need your strength for only a few more attacks ..."

Sandslash turned to him and nodded, even though she was in pain. Her Trainer ordered.

"Sand Tomb!"

Sandslash nodded and dug the ground. Not three seconds after, the ground under Arbok turned into an ant-lion's trap. With the Ground Pokémon in the middle.

"Now Earth Power!"

Sandslash disappeared in the sand. The next thing that got out of the pit was a geyser of yellow energy and a crispy Arbok. The female Pokémon got out soon after, although very tired. Ash looked at her with kind eyes. There was a reason he hated fights with no switching. Because they were equivalents to death matches. And empathic as he was, it pained him to no end when his Pokémon were burned or poisoned and he was forced to see them suffer to near death. Agatha seemed to notice it.

"Keen on your Pokémon's feelings, I see. Alright, let's finish this. And here I thought that time in the area hardened you ..."

"It did. It's just that, no matter what, my Pokémon will always mean a lot to me. According to Silver, I am a Healer with empathic abilities. I just can't deny the link I share with my friends."

The old woman sighed. Gengar got out.

"Let's end your pain then. Gengar, Ice Punch."

Sandshrew could have evaded the attack despite her state. Yet she welcomed the blow without flinching. Soon, everything went dark to her. Ash returned her after giving her an Antidote.

"Alright, Wartortle! You're up!"

Agatha grinned.

"This will be fast…"

Ash frowned.

"Wartortle, Ice Beam!"

"Gengar, dodge and Sucker Punch!"

Ash's eyes widened. He had used this technique several times and knew it well.

"Wartortle, Iron Defense!"

Too late. Sucker Punch struck in the form of a glowing dark fist sent straight in the Water Pokémon's jaw. Ash growled.

"Okay, she asked for it! Aqua Jet!"

In full midair, Wartortle caught himself and returned like a boomerang to Gengar. Agatha merely shrugged.

"Hyper Beam."

Okay, the kid might as well have given up. His Pokémon took the energy beam full strength and landed, defeated. He gulped.

"That was short..."

(End music)

"As I planned. This, kid, is the strength of an Elite Four."

Ash looked at her.

"After someone wins the Conference, he has the right to challenge you. When does that happen?"

"Anytime he wants. It means the poor lad has the time to strengthen himself for the task ahead, if that's what you wanted to know."

The boy sighed.

"Sounds about nice. Even with you mentoring me, if I feel ready for the Conference, I don't feel ready to face you anymore."

Agatha chuckled.

"A wise decision, young lad. Keep training, keep getting strong. Don't do like that foolish old man Samuel Oak. In his prime he was a Trainer of Silver's level. Today he is but a shadow of his previous self. Should have stayed as a Trainer if you ask me..."

Silver arrived no long after.

"Had a fight again? How did it go?"

"Lost." Ash simply answered.

Silver turned to Agatha.

"I hope it went well for him.

"It did. I sent him in one of the most dangerous parts of the Power Plant. At first he kept on protecting himself but snapped the third day. By the fifth, every creature around was scared of him and his team. Sure, there was an unfortunate run-in with a powerful Haunter but his Sandshrew took care of the beast and evolved while she was at it."

Silver's eyes narrowed.

"Really?"

"Yes. I was about to interfere when the monster started eating his dreams but that little mouse was faster than I. And she did an excellent job."

Silver turned to Ash, silently asking if that was true. Ash's answer was to put a hand on his own and shake his head before pushing his arm away from his sword. Silver closed his eyes.

"Alright, you win." While Ash was packing his things, he looked harshly at Agatha. "What you did was very daring. You're lucky Ash is speaking in your favor … and that you are an old lady. Otherwise, I might not have been so kind."

Soon, he and Ash were flying, Ash telling him all the things that had happened in the Power Plant. Once he was done, Silver frowned.

"Ash, what did you feel after you went on that rampage?"

The boy was surprised by the question.

"Well … I don't really know. I think I felt nothing special."

"Really?"

Silver's tone was strange. Ash frowned. Something was going on with his mentor so he explained the best he could.

"Agatha told us to survive but we were attacked so often we couldn't catch a break! So we did what had to be done. That's all. All we wanted was to live. So we did what we had to do. That's why … I didn't feel anything after the rampage was over. Not even satisfaction."

"Not even that?"

Ash looked down.

"Had I had any other choice, I would've taken it. I didn't. Really, I don't like going commando like I did at the Power Plant. But what else could I do?"

To his surprise, Silver caressed his head.

"Good answer."

Ash turned to him, surprised. The man explained.

"One's life is the greatest gift Arceus can give us. Without a life, there is nothing. It is perfectly normal that people go to great lengths to protect it. Their lives or that of others. In the Power Plant, you were given a task: protect your life and that of your Pokémon. And that's exactly what you did. Sure, you went to an extreme you weren't used to but in the end, you got stronger from the experience. Even better, you neither enjoyed giving the local Pokémon a lesson, nor did it make you feel sad. You only did your job and learned a valuable lesson: no matter what, there are moments in life one has to go against his nature to keep going on."

Silver hugged the boy against his chest. Ash gave in the embrace.

"Why did you ask how I felt?"

"Because I wanted to make sure you learned the lesson. And you did. If you told me you enjoyed it… I admit I would have been scared and would have held Agatha accountable. If you had been sad, I would have comforted you. But in the end, you answered perfectly so it doesn't matter anymore."

Ash smiled.

"Now it's Lance, isn't it?"

"Yep, the Dragon master. One of the most powerful Trainers of Kanto and Johto." Before Ash could ask how the man was, Silver described him. "He is quite arrogant and strict, kinda like Lorelei, and he firmly believes Dragon Pokémon are the best. Also, he really likes capes and rumors go that he has a full collection of them in his wardrobe. So if you want to piss him off, insult his taste for clothing or tear one of his capes. It's a surefire way to get him mad."

Ash gulped.

"Who would be as crazy as that?"

"Me. I did it once. Funniest day ever. But that apart, he is a very kind man inside. He too is a Healer with empathic skills. Maybe he'll be able to teach you a thing or two. If you can make a friend out of him, you won't have any friend more loyal. Besides, he and I have known each other before I got to meet Giovanni so it's pretty old already. You don't have much to fear."

It was near midnight when they arrived at Whirl Island. Lance was waiting for them, his trustful Dragonite at his side. He smiled when Odin landed.

"You finally came."

"Sorry." Silver grinned. "The road was long from the Power Plant."

Lance's eyes fell on Ash. The boy instantly shivered under the strength of the Elite's deep yet vibrant brown eyes. The man was as tall as Silver, who was nearly six feet high. His hairs were a light shade of red and he was wearing a navy blue outfit outlined with orange and black boots. A black and red cape was hanging on his back, held by silver clasps and floating in the evening sea breeze. The man had a presence that was really intimidating. His face was neutral as he looked at Ash. Instead, his gaze was piercing the boy's very soul. Uneasy at best, Ash snuggled against Silver's comforting presence. Silver passed a hand on the kid's shoulder and gave him a kind face. He then turned to Lance, his face blank.

The moment Elite and mentor locked sights, tension became tangible, to the point that Ash and Pikachu sought haven in Odin's wings. The ice bird himself was quite scared by the clashing auras of both men. The two… were incredibly powerful. In fact, their power was nearing legendary level. An Ice Aura Guardian and one of the greatest Dragon Masters, only rivaled in his title by the newly appointed Cynthia of Sinnoh. When the escalation reached a point where it couldn't be stood anymore, Silver broke the fight.

"No need to scare the kid to death. Poor boy went through hell for the last three weeks. There's no need to put any more pressure on his back."

Lance nodded.

"You're right. Let's go inside. I guess you didn't eat much during the flight."

"Yeah. Not even a sandwich."

"Perfect. Dinner's ready. I just need to warm it up a bit."

Soon, the group was sitting before a copious meal set on a table. Ash was eating slowly, much to Silver's surprise. The boy was surely recovering from the clash between the two men. Silver and Lance were talking about the old times with a smile on their face. Sometime, one would laugh at something the other would say. Pikachu and Dragonite were talking away from the humans.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"Wow, Silver and Lance are close! After their confrontation after we landed, it's quite surprising..."

Dragonite chuckled.

"Yeah. The two know each other well. There's nothing but respect between them, even though they keep having showdowns like that. Personally speaking, Silver creeps me out. Only an Ancient can be that powerful."

"Many Pokémon mistake Silver for an Ancient." Pikachu confirmed. "And his tail doesn't help. But unless he was immortal, which is highly improbable, he can only be one of their descendants. Every now and then, it happens that someone with Ancient blood finds himself with one of their traits, such as pointy hairs, slit pupils or even wings. 'Ancient' is only a generic term to call those who came three thousand years ago. They were a people, but they were made of many races."

The mouse looked at Ash.

"Ash himself has Ancient legacy. He is the descendant of the legendary Sir Aaron, the fabled Aura Guardian of Rota. And according to the legend, Sir Aaron's mother was Ancient Queen Nathea's twin sister, Lucy of the Golden Sun."

Dragonite gasped.

"What? That kid is the inheritor of an Ancient Queen?"

"His twin sister, idiot! Queen Nathea and Lucy of the Golden Sun were twin sisters, yet Lucy isn't considered an Ancient Ruler like Troban, Xande, Dana and Anghra. What is sure is that she was a powerful Light Aura Guardian of legendary level. And her son, though deprived of Elemental Aura, was just as great."

"And your Trainer is her inheritor? Arceus!"

"Ash is an Aura Guardian. Not full-fledged, far from it. But he has Aura and he's training to master it."

(Auto-translator: OFF)

Dragonite gave a side-glance to Pikachu's Trainer. Ash had finished eating and was leaving his seat. Lance shower him his room, only for the boy to enter and crash on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately. Pikachu jumped and rolled by his side before Silver came and undressed the boy to put him in his night gears.

"Hold on, Little Ashling. One more week and this ordeal is over."

Caressing his face, he cast a meaningful glance to Lance. The Elite nodded.

"Ash has gone through hell for the past three weeks. Train him the way you feel like it, but try to show a little kindness. I already froze Bruno for using him as an Onix bait and almost got to Agatha for leaving him defenseless to a giant Haunter. Don't force me to turn this island into an iceberg."

Lance slowly nodded. Suddenly, something clawed Silver's hand. Turning, the man saw Ash's nails digging in his skin. He sighed.

"Sorry, kid. I can't help being a Papa Arcanine at times."

Ash growled. Silver accepted Lance's offer to stay for the night and left next morning before the kid woke up. When Ash awoke, it was close to midday. Seeing the time, the kid jumped from his bed.

"What? It's that late already? Oh lord, Lance is gonna kill me!"

He jumped out of bed, startling Pikachu in the process, and cleaned and dressed in a matter of minutes. He grabbed a snack in the kitchen he ate while heading outside and started looking for Lance. The man was on a cliff, watching the sea. The boy came to him, panting.

"Sorry… I'm late… I overslept."

"I see that." Lance said blankly.

The boy raised his head.

"What are we gonna do now?"

The man turned to him.

"First, show me your Pokémon's strength. I want to see what you are capable of."

Ash obeyed and got his Pokémon out. He had given Magnemite to Silver with the instructions to keep him until he was back, so he could give it to Angelo personally. Silver had agreed. Lance watched the boy as he ordered a Water Pulse from Wartortle. The blast blew a rock. Jigglypuff followed by a perfectly mastered Sing that put a Pidgey asleep. Lance nodded. Silver had told him the troubles the pink ball had to go through to master the attack. Sandslash followed by a Sword Dance-Steel Claw combo that reduced a stump into winter wood. Finally, Pikachu went to a massive rock. One Mjollnir later, said rock was cleaved in two in a very clean way. Lance looked at Fearow.

"And him?"

Ash shrugged.

"He doesn't want to obey. I treat him just as I treat my other Pokémon and I'm doing my best to be kind with him, but it's useless. The only time he actually listened was when I went commando in the Power Plant."

Lance frowned.

"I see. How is he, personality-wise?"

"He was the leader of a Spearow flock that was harassing the local Pokémon. I captured him to disband it. He is… arrogant and proud, and very vicious and nasty too. I don't see how I could make him listen to me unless by becoming like him or worse. And this option is out of question."

Lance nodded.

"I see. Alright, what do you know about Dragon Pokémon?"

Ash closed his eyes and told him everything he knew. The Elite nodded.

"You know quite a lot. Fine. Since Silver told me how your training with the other Elites went, I know what we will be doing."

Lance gave Ash a schedule they would follow from this day onward. In the morning, the two would train the boy and his Pokémon. The afternoon would be spent watching and studying the Pokémon of Whirl Island, Lance planning to use this time to help Ash master his empathic skills. Finally, the evening would be spent on more theoretic classes. Indeed, the man had quite a library in his home. Ash followed the planning dutifully, just like he did with Lorelei. Lance's Dragon Pokémon were powerful. It was just what the boy's partners needed to really increase their strength. Ash himself was put against the man's Gyarados. Even with the beast holding off, the boy had troubles. It didn't help that Gyarados's half-Flying type made him resistant to Aura, which was Fighting type.

The afternoon gave a comforting break. The local Pokémon were friendly to the boy who soon learned to reach out to them. Lance noticed his Aura Powers were indeed for something in this fiend, increasing the strength of the link between Ash and the Pokémon he was bonding with. The evening finally came, leaving the two relax around a book by the fireplace. Ash had noticed that he remembered better if he read just before falling asleep. Lance confirmed his thoughts. The mind being more active at night, reading something before falling asleep was a good way to keep it in mind.

One day, while they were training, a shriek got Ash and the group's attention. When they arrived at the place, they found Fearow trying to fight back against an Electrabuzz, only to lose horribly. A Thunder Punch later, the Flying Pokémon was totally defenseless. Electrabuzz charged a Discharge and released it, only for it to bounce on a dome of blue energy. Ash was standing before Fearow, his eyes narrow, his hands open. He turned to lance who nodded. The Electric Pokémon raised a brow, surprised. Closing his eyes, Ash dismissed the shield and hummed Lugia's Song. The effect was instant. Electrabuzz calmed down, leaving the boy touch him. Ash's eyes locked into them, forming a bond between him and the creature. Through this bond, he sought the reason why the Pokémon had attacked Fearow. It was simple: the bird of pray had disturbed his nap and asked for a challenge. But Electrabuzz was way stronger than Fearow. Ash nodded.

"Leave now, Electrabuzz. Fearow understood his lesson. He won't look for troubles with you again."

It was said in a soft and quiet voice that was almost mesmerizing. The Electric Pokémon could do nothing but surrender to it and turn away. Ash turned to Fearow and gave him a kind smile. Bringing him back to the house, he tended his wounds without a word. Fearow was looking at the boy, somewhat impressed. Ash felt the gaze.

"See? One doesn't need strength to get respect."

Using his empathic powers, he bound himself to Fearow. What he was looking for was the reason behind the bird's rash behavior. The answer came immediately: superiority complex due to being the son of the previous flock leader, harsh childhood, the value put in cunning, mercilessness and strength … Fearow himself had killed his own father to take his place. Why? As a revenge for all the pain the elder Spearow had given him. Killing the bird had triggered Spearow's evolution in a Fearow. And ever since, he had lived following what he had been taught: pain and cruelty.

Ash sighed and looked at Fearow. The Pokémon was surprised by the pity he saw in the boy's eyes. Ash placed his hand on Fearow's head and put his own feelings and memories in the bird. To Fearow's rage and suffering, he answered with peace and happiness. Memories of his time as a child with Silver and Delia, of his journey around Kanto. To Fearow's value in individual strength ans selfishness, he answered with the power of friendship, a friendship that had kept him going in the toughest moments, like the time when he protected his rival Gary from the group of Mankey. It had been the first real time his Aura Powers manifested out of a desire to keep his childhood friend safe. To say Fearow was shocked was an understatement. Deciding to go deeper, Ash closed his eyes and opened his whole heart to the Pokémon. Had it been any other creature, the boy would've stopped himself, but Fearow was his. The Beak Pokémon jerked in surprise as his Trainer let him reach his core being. There was nothing here, nothing but a single glowing sun. Golden Heart, Silver Soul. The Chosen Duo. Every Pokémon knew about them. Upon seeing the boy's heart, there was no doubt for Fearow that his Trainer was the Golden Heart. Breaking the bond, he placed his head in the boy's hands as a sign of loyalty. From afar, Lance nodded.

The following days, Fearow proved to be extremely loyal and obedient. Now having the conviction that his Trainer was a Chosen, the Beak Pokémon showed a total change of heart. Even Ash was surprised by the reversal. But it was a good thing, as Fearow became a force to be reckoned with. He even had his revenge against Electrabuzz. The seventh day finally came and Lance challenged the boy.

"What are the rules?" Ash asked.

"No switching. Your five Pokémon against my Dragonite."

This statement made Ash freeze.

"This won't end well."

Closing his eyes, he looked for a way to win, even if it was outright crazy. The answer came immediately: Perish Song. A grin crossed his face.

"I get it..."

Lance nodded.

"Set your strategy?"

"Yes."

"Then let's start."

(Play [Hunter's Chance](https://youtu.be/6_iqiPErEDg), Final Fantasy IX)

"Dragonite, I choose you!"

Lance's Dragonite fell from the sky and landed before his Trainer. Ash nodded.

"Alright. Jigglypuff, here you go!"

Jigglypuff got out and smiled ready to fight. Her Trainer looked at Dragonite.

"Perish Song."

Jigglypuff almost jumped at the order. For Ash to use that move right from the start, things had to be serious. But he was her Trainer, she had to obey. So she sung. Lance nodded.

"I thought you'd use that move. Dragonite, Dragon Rush."

Ash's eyes widened.

"What?"

Before Jigglypuff could finish, a blast of blue energy knocked her away. She didn't rise. Lance looked at Ash.

"I knew you'd use Perish Song at a point or another. Silver told me how you work. You use this move to secure your victory. Actually, it was a good plan. And a very prudent one at that."

Ash sighed.

"You are powerful. I honestly don't think I could take your Dragonite with raw strength alone. That's why I used Perish Song. And I only do when I'm not sure I can win."

"I know. You didn't really think I would let you use that move, do you?"

"You know, for a moment … yeah, I kinda did. No one pulled that stunt before. So no, I didn't think you would interrupt Jigglypuff."

"And yet, that's what I did. I hope you have a Plan B."

Ash returned his Pokémon.

"I may look like I jump into things without thinking but, actually, I don't. I'm just a quick thinker. And yes, I plan ahead so I indeed have a Plan B." He looked at the poké-ball. "I'm sorry it turned like this, Jigglypuff. It was my mistake to have underestimated Lance's intellect. Don't worry, we'll still do our best." He took a poké-ball. "Wartortle, go!"

Lance frowned. Despite his type advantage, he knew the Turtle Pokémon had some Ice attacks. Well, what should he do? Withstand or counter? Ash attacked.

"Wartortle, Ice Beam! Aim for the wings!"

Counter. The boy had a strategy. Despite his old-time friend being powerful, he didn't want to take risks against a boy who challenged a Legendary. And won.

"Dragonite, retaliate with Flamethrower!"

The two attacks collided. Flamethrower quickly took over, causing Ash to react.

"Water Spin!"

Lance raised a brow. Water Spin? What was that? Actually, the attack was a Water Gun-Rapid Spin combo. The attack barely managed to hold off Flamethrower. The boy frowned.

"Wartortle, use Aqua Jet! Get close to it!"

The Turtle Pokémon obeyed and cloaked himself with water. Lance looked at Ash.

"You don't think an attack like that will phase Dragonite, do you?"

His only answer was the boy's grin.

"Check twice."

Lance looked … and gasped. In mid-flight, Wartortle had covered Aqua Jet with ice and was crashing into Dragonite. Ash nodded.

"Dragonite is extremely weak to ice. It doesn't matter how strong it is. An attack like that will leave some marks."

Lance looked at the boy with respect.

"I have never seen this attack before."

"That's because I set it up, just like Mjollnir and Water Spin. Silver has a habit of inventing his own attacks. I merely copied him."

"Well done."

"Another habit of mine is being unpredictable. Didn't see that one coming, did you?"

"No. You disguised the attack as a simple Aqua Jet, only to turn it into something more dangerous once you were close enough. You're clever. Actually..." His eyes hardened. "Were it anyone else, fighting like that would have led you to victory. Not with me. Dragonite, Dragon Pulse!"

Ash gasped. Dragonite growled and rose from the ground. Faster than Wartortle or his Trainer could react, the creature had sent a sphere of green energy to the Water Pokémon, knocking it off. Ash growled and took a poké-ball after returning Wartortle.

"Don't worry, Wartortle, you did great. We're not over yet." He glared at the Dragon type. "Sandslash, here you go!"

The Ground Pokémon appeared Lance frowned.

"I wonder what you will do wit this one. You know Ground attacks don't affect Dragonite.

"As long as it can fly. Actually, its wings are frozen."

Indeed, Wartortle had succeeded into freezing Dragonite's wings, rendering It vulnerable to Sandslash's attacks. Ash didn't lose a second.

"Earth Power!"

"Hold on, Dragonite!"

The brave creature did as told, wincing under the pain.

"Follow with Earthquake!"

The attack was successful again. Lance frowned.

"Alright, I got it. Dragonite, use Flamethrower on your back!"

Ash growled.

"Don't let him! Sandslash, Steel Claws!"

Too late. The ice easily melted under Dragonite's fiery breath. When Sandslash attacked its head, it was to take an Ice Beam dead-on. Needless to say she didn't make it. Ash returned her with some kind words.

"Alright Fearow! You're up!"

The Flying Pokémon appeared. Lance nodded.

"So you're taking it to the sky? Fine."

Soon, the two Pokémon were caught in a contest of speed and strength. Fearow charged his power and delivered a violent Sky Attack on Dragonite's back. The Dragon Pokémon plummeted down, only to recover and retaliate with a powerful Hurricane his opponent dodged in-extremist with Aerial Ace. Dragonite charged Hyper Beam, Fearow charged Giga Impact. The explosion knocked both out of the sky. Fearow didn't rise. Lance nodded.

"Your Fearow has grown powerful since you subdued him. Not enough to defeat Dragonite, though. Ready?"

Ash slowly nodded.

"Pikachu, let's do our best."

Pikachu nodded and jumped before his friend. Dragonite growled threateningly. The Pokémon was starting to get tired with the injuries. The faster he ended it, the better. Lance sensed it.

"Let's do this." He and Ash said at the same time.

Dragon Breath met Thunder in a cloud of smoke. To say the fight was intense was an understatement. The battlefield was a wreck after the fight. Pikachu unleashed his most merciless onslaught of thunder and lightning to Dragonite who retaliated with the sheer rage and power of the Dragon Pokémon. However, even Pikachu couldn't keep up with the might of an Elite's Pokémon, especially a pseudo-legendary like Dragonite. The Pokémon's Draco Meteor was more than the electric mouse could handle. Ash took his friend in his arms as Lance came to him.

(End music)

"This was an enjoyable fight, Ash. You proved you have a great potential as a Trainer. I hope you win the Indigo Conference..."

Ash rose and looked at the man.

"I'll do my best. Thank you and the others for the lessons. It was hard but … worth it. Even though I feel like I went through hell."

"Welcome among the Elites."

The comment made the boy giggle.

"That's not the first time I hear that."

Lance went to the house and came back with a green egg. It had a red ring and the bottom was black. The man explained.

"You don't have a Dragon Pokémon in your team yet. My cousin Claire got this egg from a faraway region and gave it to me. I don't know in what it will hatch, but I know you will take care of it and train it into a mighty creature."

Ash delicately took the egg. It was warm. Looking at Lance, he smiled.

"I'll watch over it. I promise."

Soon, Silver was here.

"Ready to leave?"

"Yeah. I'm ready."

As they flew away from Whirl Islands, Ash sighed.

"Finally over..."

"Not yet, kiddo."

Ash froze.

"What? Why?"

"You'll see at Pallet Town."

The boy looked down.

"Does that mean I'll have to face the Champion too?"

Silver was silent for a moment. Ash raised his head. His mentor's hand clenched.

"Kanto has no Champion. Adrian died nine years ago."

Ash gasped.

"What?"

Then he saw Silver's sad face. This was enough for him to drop the subject. It was very late when they reached Pallet Town. The boy had fallen asleep so Silver brought him in his room and let him sleep here. Simon was already snoring softly, but he still woke up when the man entered. As Silver closed the door behind him, he saw the red head snuggle against his younger brother.

Ash slept late the next morning. It was past midday when he woke up, and he still wasn't half-asleep. Simon immediately noticed it.

"I don't know how his training went, but for him to wind up that exhausted, it had to be tiring."

Ash turned to him.

"It was Hell."

On this, he went to take a shower. His brother turned to Misty and Brock. The dark-skinned teen crossed his arms.

"I hope he still got something out of it..."

Later that afternoon, the young boy came to find Angelo, who had gotten from his training course with Surge. The blonde head greeted him with a smile.

"Heya, Ash! I heard you went to train with the Elites! How did it go?"

"You have no ideas." Ash rolled his eyes. "Here. I have something for you."

He took a poké-ball. Angelo accepted the present and opened it. The Magnemite got out, causing the kid to grin from ear to ear.

"A Magnemite! I always wanted one!" He took the Pokémon in his arms and smiled hugely. "Thank you so very much, Ash! With the Pichu Surge gave me, it makes two more Electric Pokémon to train. This is gonna be fun!"

A little black and yellow mouse appeared on his shoulder.

"Pichu?"

Angelo laughed.

"Pichu, meet Ash. This is one of the coolest guys in Pallet Town. And contrary to Gary, h isn't a jerk."

The tiny mouse Pokémon waved a hand.

"Pi-pichu!"

Ash caressed it.

"He's cute! Well, I gotta be going. My Pokémon must be waiting at the corral."

"Okay, see ya later!"

Ash's Pokémon were very happy to see him after four weeks without any new. They were even happier when they saw the changes those weeks had brought upon Wartortle, Jigglypuff, Sandslash and Fearow. Ash too was happy to see his friends. After a quick summary of the events, he rose from his sitting position.

"The League is in two weeks. I want you to train to the best of your skills so that everyone will be ready and more for the events. Understood?"

The Pokémon cheered. Back at work and for the best! Jigglypuff came to her Trainer and tugged his pants. Ash grinned.

"Ah, right. I had almost forgotten." He took a Moon Stone. "Now that you have mastered Sing, you can finally evolve, right?"

Jigglypuff nodded. Ash took a Moon Stone from his pocket and gave her. When the light faded, the girl was now a big Wigglytuff with a very soft fur and long pink rabbit ears. Now in her final form, she could learn more powerful moves Ash gladly taught her. With the experience he got from his course, the boy set a harder training routine for his Pokémon. None of them complained. In fact, they were quite happy with it. As he looked by the window of Professor Oak's lab, Ash could sometimes see Gary relaxing with a drink. This made him train even harder. If Gary seemed to notice the efforts his rival did, he most likely paid them no mind. One day, Ash was resting from a particularly intense training session when the brown-haired boy passed by with a quite pretty girl.

"Ashie-boy in all his splendor! Still sweating from working your Pokémon to their limits, I see."

Ash glared fiercely at him.

"What I see is that you won't last long in the Conference, Gary-kid."

Gary crossed his arms.

"I don't need to train. My Pokémon are already the best. It's not because you went to train with the Elites that you will beat me, Gary Oak."

The girl giggled at his side.

"That's true. Gary is the very best! No one in Pallet Town can hope to defeat him. He is way too cool..."

Ash clenched his fist.

"Really? Alright, let's prove you wrong. Six vs. six on the fighting ground, no switching. We'll see how far you go against my friends, Gary-brat!"

Gary's eyes narrowed.

"'Gary-brat'? Oh Ashie, you have no ideas what you called for. I am gonna beat you and prove you that you are a loser. And I will enjoy it, bastard."

The last word made Ash tick.

"You called me _what?_ "

His rival grinned deviously.

"I called you a bastard. Because that's what you are, right? You're an illegitimate child born from a party night. Worse, your official father abandoned you, your biological father is a criminal and your adoptive father..."

"...was asked by Lance to become Kanto's new Champion. Several times." A cold voice finished.

The three kids turned to see Silver in his full black outfit. The man was glaring dangerously at Gary.

"What were you going to say, Gary-brat? Come on, I'm waiting."

His voice was threatening, yet his eyes were so intense that Gary could only obey.

"I was gonna say… he was a homeless handy man while I was the grandson of the infamous Professor Oak."

Silver's eyes narrowed.

"Ash may be an illegitimate child, he still remains the descendant of the infamous Aura Guardian Sir Aaron, who saved a kingdom at the cost of his own life and was one of the most powerful Aura Guardians ever known. Leave. Now. Ash has other things to do than picking fights with arrogant pricks like you, especially Casanova wannabes."

Gary and the girl ran immediately. The poor boy had always been scared by the tall silver-haired man. Ash looked down.

"I'm sorry, Silver. I lost it when he started insulting my efforts."

"And it almost went worse when he insulted your ascendancy. It's understandable, Ash. You don't have to blame yourself for that." The man caressed his head. "Feeling up for a fight?"

"Against you?"

"Yep."

Ash looked down.

"You… really want to fight me?"

"Yes. For this."

He took a little pin that looked like a yin-yang symbol. Ash looked at it.

"Is that a badge?"

"Yes. In the country I come from, along with the eight badges, you need this badge to enter a Conference. Its name is the Harmony Badge." Silver looked at his student. "Ash, I want you to challenge me for the Harmony Badge. I want to know if you're worth entering the Conference."

Ash looked at his mentor, worry in his eyes. After a moment of silence, he looked down.

"No."

His mentor frowned.

"No?"

"No, I won't challenge you." The boy looked at him. "I know for a fact that you're at the very least of Elite level. More, you have a badge, which means you're a Gym Leader. Also, I know you well. And I know that there's no ways I could win against you, not even with a team of Legendaries. I won't accept your challenge. It's not worth it."

On this, the boy left. Silver stood here, silent. It was the first time Ash refused a challenge. Lya grinned.

"The kid has grown quite clever."

"No." Silver looked down. "He's just had enough to be dominated by people way stronger than him. Can't blame him for that."

Lya merely shrugged. Ash went to the training ground and sat in front of the lake. His mind was in turmoil. On one side, he knew he had strictly no chances against his adoptive father, even with his strongest teammates. So, if it was to lose again, why fight? But, on the other side, his mentor had just presented him with a very good reason to take on the challenge: a badge. A badge called the Harmony badge. The boy sighed.

"Forget it. Even if I try my hardest, there's no ways I'm getting my hands on that thing."

"Clefable?"

Ash turned to see Clefable, Poochyena and Tyrogue looking at him. Tyrogue moved his hands.

(What's wrong, Master? You look confused.)

Ash explained them his dilemma. Clefable frowned.

"Clefafa-clefa fablefable fa?" (Is Silver really as strong as this?)

"Yeah. And more. Lance asked him to become a Champion, but he's already a Gym Leader. If he wasn't, I'm sure he would have accepted already."

Clefable frowned. She was joined with Charizard and Fearow. Tyrogue explained them the situation. Charizard crossed his arms and thought a little before growling. Tyrogue translated.

(Charizard thinks there is a way. Every Pokémon has an advantage and disadvantage against an opponent, no matter how strong he is. If we play on it and give our very best, we should have a chance. Sure, there's no guarantee it will work against Pokémon the level of Lya and the others, but it's still worth a shot, right? Besides, none of us think Silver would challenge you with the intention of crushing you. He must know what you've been through with the Elites. Given how kind he is with you, I don't think it will be end so badly.)

Ash looked at his Pokémon.

"You… really think so?"

The group nodded. Their Trainer closed his eyes.

"Alright. Then better plan the team now. First, Pikachu. He's the team leader and the strongest of you."

Pikachu jumped at his side.

"Then Charizard. He has the advantage against Riyo, Gaya and Odin and resists Lya's attacks. However, we better be careful around Blitz. Let's hope Silver allows switching ..."

Charizard went to his Trainer's side. Ash thought a little.

"Let's see then… Pidgeot, Fearow and Aerodactyl will go out because of Blitz's lightning attach and Haunter, Bulbasaur and Tyrogue will have to step down since Espera is insanely powerful. Butterfree has a lot of weaknesses too so I'll have to rule him out. That leaves Poochyena, who's immune to Espera's Psychic attacks."

Tyrogue frowned.

(But Riyo will take her down easily.)

"Unless we switch her out in favor of Charizard, who has a double advantage against him."

The orange dragon grinned. A dual-type Fire/Flying against a Steel/Fighting Pokémon. Usually, the latter didn't win. Poochyena joined Pikachu and Charizard. Ash frowned deeper.

"So we have Poochyena against Espera, Charizard against Gaya, Riyo and he and Pikachu against Odin with Pikachu also against Odin. Sandslash … yeah, good idea. Against Blitz."

Sandslash joined the trio. Clefable balled and hit her fists. Ash grinned.

"Yeah, right. Clefable will come too. She's both strong and versatile. This should come in handy."

Now only Wartortle and Wigglytuff remained. After weighting the pros and cons, Ash ruled out the Water Starter.

"Lya will most likely shrug off your Water attacks like it is nothing. Besides, Wigglytuff's Perish Song may be useful, even if it didn't work against Lance."

His team set, the boy started looking for his mentor. The man was on the battle field, waiting for him.

"Changed your mind?"

Ash growled and clenched his jaw.

"Guys… let's give our best."

Silver nodded as he saw the determination in his adoptive son's eyes.

"Yeah, that's what I was looking for. Switching is allowed. It will be a full-on six vs. six battle. Begin."

He took a poké-ball.

(Play [Mirrored Fates](https://youtu.be/qTmafIdW8x8), Prince of Persia WW )

"Blitz, I choose you!"

Ash frowned.

"Here it goes… Sandslash, go!"

Silver nodded.

"Nice choice. This is actually going to be a challenge. Blitz, start with Giga Impact!"

"Sandslash, counter with Earthquake!"

Sandslash grinned and jumped furiously on the ground while being curled in a ball. The seismic waves were enough to stop Blitz in his track, despite him being very near the Mouse Pokémon.

"Earth Power!"

Not wanting to give his mentor time to recover, Ash went on the offensive. The Zebstrika was caught in a yellow geyser of energy that sent him reeling. Silver nodded.

"Nicely done."

Ash grinned. Yeah, maybe he had a chance.

"Sandslash, trap him in Sand Tomb and uses another Earth Power in the middle, like we did against Agatha!"

Sandslash grinned. This trick had quickly become one of Ash's favorites. She followed his instruction and, sure enough, Blitz took massive amounts of damage. The boy nodded.

"And for the finish, Dig!"

Silver grinned as the pangolin creature hit herself underground.

"Bad idea. Blitz, Double Kick on the ground!"

Ash's eyes widened. Oh crap… Sure enough, Sandslash was cast to the surface. Silver followed.

"Use another Double Kick!"

The attack landed straight in Sandslash's chest, sending her reeling by Ash's side. The girl didn't rise. Ash gritted his teeth. One down for him. Silver still smiled kindly.

"Nice for a first fight. You trained Sandslash perfectly. One more attack and Blitz was toast. By the way ..."

His student looked at him, a brow raised.

"You should give a name to that Ground combo of yours. It's well-thought. What next?"

The boy closed his eyes. Next… Clefable. She was his all-around fighter.

"Clefable, go!"

Silver nodded.

"Blitz, Thunder!"

"Clefable, Light Screen!"

Had Blitz been any stronger, the attack would have effortlessly broken the shield. Not this time. The lightning attack didn't go past Clefable's defense, leaving the girl time to channel another attack.

"Now, Focus Blast!"

Once Light Screen faded, Clefable sent a sphere of blue energy straight at Blitz's face. The electric zebra didn't rise. Silver closed his eyes.

"One to one. Well done, Ashling."

Ash couldn't believe it. Despite how insanely powerful his mentor was, _he had taken one of his Pokémon down!_ The kid started laughing. Now that was an accomplishment. Silver grinned.

"Alright. Gaya, you're up."

Ash's grin widened. Gaya? Perfect!

"Charizard, go!"

The orange dragon appeared and nodded when he saw who was his opponent. Gaya turned to her Trainer.

"You're sure about this one?"

"Certain. Riyo is next."

"You know you're sending us to our doom."

Silver frowned.

"Ash based his strategy on elemental rock-paper-scissor. And as it is, this is the best way he has of defeating me, even though he can't. I planned things ahead. You, Riyo and Odin will go, then it will be Espera and Lya. Ash won't win, but I don't want to utterly crush him like the other Elites did. I want him to prove himself. And he's well on his way to do that."

Gaya sighed.

"Okay, here we go."

Ash smiled.

"Charizard, Inferno!"

The Fire Starter opened his mouth and sent a flame so intense it was blue. Silver nodded.

"Gaya, Safeguard!"

The Grass Starter was surrounded by a translucent shield. When it faded, Charizard was flying toward her with Dragon Rush. This broke the dome. Next thing she knew, Gaya was brought off the ground and into the air. Silver's eyes widened.

"Seismic Toss… Gaya, Petal Dance!"

The green sauropod jerked in Charizard's grip. Her petals glowed and a storm of cherry petals harassed the dragon. Ash growled.

"Charizard, burn them with Flamethrower!"

Charizard obeyed. Gaya's attack turned against her as the burning petals hurt her skin. And the collision with the ground didn't help either. Silver frowned.

"Synthesis."

Gaya closed her eyes. Light invaded her, closing hr wounds to close. Ash growled.

"No, you don't! Charizard, Flare Blitz!"

"Counter with Frenzy Plant!"

It was useless. Gaya wasn't exactly a fighter to start with. Her opponent was, and he was a hardcore one. The vines were burned by his fiery charge and the collision left the female Meganium unmoving. Silver returned her.

"Two down for me. Alright, let's go Riyo."

The Lucario appeared, his saber sheathed in his back. Seeing Charizard, he frowned.

"This isn't going to be easy."

Silver nodded.

"I know. Ash chose him for a reason. Ready to go?"

The Lucario grinned and placed a hand on his blade. Silver's eyes narrowed.

"Iai Strike."

Ash frowned as Riyo dashed at great speed toward Charizard.

"Hold him off with Inferno!"

But the Fighting Pokémon was fast. In a blink he was on Charizard. In the other, his blade had left a long scratch on the dragon's scaled body. Charizard roared in anger and took flight.

"As if this is going to stop me..." Silver smiled. "Riyo, gimme your biggest Aura Sphere!"

The Aura Pokémon nodded and summoned a ball the size of twice a soccer ball. Ash frowned.

"That thing mustn't touch you! Use Aerial Ace!"

Charizard nodded and flew out of the sphere's way, only to collide with his opponent at full speed. Riyo being a lightweight, he was literally sent flying. The Flame Pokémon was merciless. After a particularly violent Blast Burn, the poor Lucario crashed down and didn't rise. Silver sighed.

"His blade didn't help him much. Well, since you took the big guns, I will do the same. Go, Odin."

Ash frowned.

"Charizard, here it comes. Ready?"

The Fire Starter looked at his Trainer and grinned, his thumb claw raised. He and the Ice Legendary faced each other …

"Odin, Blizzard!"

"Charizard, Inferno!"

The attacks collided in a burst of steam.

"Take flight!"

Both Pokémon rose in the air, ready to fight a fierce battle. And it was fierce.

"Odin, let's go with Sky Attack!"

"Retaliate with Flare Blitz!"

The two attacks clashed again and again, leaving trails of fire and energy behind. Charizard grabbed Odin and started spinning, still engulfed in Flare Blitz. Odin struggled and jerked to get out of the grasp, even shooting Ice Beam at the draconian Pokémon's wings. Charizard still wouldn't let go. They crashed in a massive crater in the middle of the field. Ash winced.

"That must've hurt..."

Silver nodded. Charizard rose, imitated by Odin. Both were tired and bruised but none were done. The Flame Pokémon melted the ice on his wings and shook them. Odin flapped his wings. They weren't that badly damaged but some feathers were burnt. Their Trainers locked in a glaring contest.

"Blast Burn!"

"Eternal Winter!"

Charizard generated a massive sphere of flames. A runic circle appeared in front of Odin's mouth. The strongest Fire attack and the super-powered ice blast hit each other dead on. Silver growled.

"Freeze Drive!"

"Flare Blitz!"

The Fire dragon cloaked himself in fire, Odin shrouded himself in ice. The two crashed against one another, fighting for dominion as tendrils of fire and ice licked the surroundings. Suddenly, Odin grabbed Charizard's neck in his beak and unleashed a point-black-range Blizzard. Charizard roared in pain and backed up. Silver nodded.

"Freeze Drive again!"

Odin took some steps back and launched himself at his opponent once again. Charizard was sent against the ground … and didn't rise. Ash gasped.

"Charizard!"

The boy ran to his partner and held him. The orange dragon weakly smiled and licked him before nodding softly. Ash caressed him.

"You did an excellent job. I'm very proud of you."

The dragon growled softly, nuzzling his Trainer. His eyes closed as he returned inside his poké-ball. Ash turned to his mentor. If a glare could kill, Silver would be right now in the deepest part of Hell. With a simple nod, Pikachu jumped from his position to Ash's side and ran to the Ice Legendary at the speed of sound, cloaked in Volt Tackle. The momentum made the following Mjollnir even more powerful. Odin didn't recover from that one. Pikachu then returned to his Trainer's side. Ash nodded.

"Your move."

Silver sighed.

"Someone here is in a bad mood. I can't help but wonder why. Espera ..."

The female Espeon got out of her poké-ball and calmly walked on the field. Ash took a poké-ball.

"Time to shine, Poochyena."

The little hyena girl jumped out and grinned. Silver nodded.

"Clever choice. I still wonder why she isn't a Mightyena yet, given her skills."

Ash's eyes narrowed.

"Poochyena, Crunch."

The girl started running fast toward her opponent. Silver waited a moment.

"Espera, Power Gem."

Channeling power in her jewel, the pink cat unleashed a red energy beam. Poochyena jumped out of the way and dug her teeth into the Psychic Pokémon's body. Espera screamed in pain and jerked hard. Ash nodded.

"Jump and use Dark Pulse!"

"Counter with Hyper Beam!"

The energy ray easily countered the helix of dark energy, blasting Poochyena in the face. The girl growled, fury in her eyes. She could feel it, her Trainer's anger, his desire to win. Her eyes glowed with an ominous red, black waves coming from them and fangs glowing dangerously. Espera immediately backed up, tail between her legs. Despite being a kid, the little Dark Pokémon had a nasty Scary Face attack.

"Why in Areus's name did you have to pit me against this ball of angst?" The Espeon growled. " _(sigh) Alright, I know. You want me to lose._ "

Silver mentally agreed.

"Don't worry, I don't plan to lose. Once you're done, Lya will make short work of them, Pikachu included."

"You better be sure of yourself. She'll be your last partner."

"I only gamble when I know I can win."

Espera looked at Poochyena who was coming at her with Shadow Ball. She answered with her own Shadow Ball and, as the attacks collided, jumped above the blast, Iron Tail charged. Poochyena snarled and countered with her own Iron Tail. In mid-jump, she twisted her body and delivered a strong Crunch on the Espeon's neck. Espera didn't rise from the attack. Ash couldn't believe it.

"Five down! Wow, we really went far!" He took his poké-balls. "Thanks, everyone! Looks like our strategy is working. Now only Lya remains..."

This thought made him shiver. The Ninetales was a powerhouse in her own rights. After all, it was because of her teachings that Pikachu was so good. Everyone knew in the corral that the fire fox was Silver's all-time partner and oldest Pokémon, with an experience to put anyone to shame, including Oak's deadly Dragonite. Ash looked at Poochyena.

"Poochyena… want to continue? Lya's coming."

The girl turned to him and yelped in agreement. It couldn't be the first Ninetales she faced. Silver smiled.

"Lya, you're up."

The elder Pokémon appeared and grinned.

"Finally my turn. I was getting bored to see the others getting crushed. Even thought they were holding back." She looked at Poochyena. "So I get to face kiddie girl first? Well … Should I make it quick?"

Silver grinned.

"Use Fire Blast."

A blast of fire even bigger than Inferno appeared. Ash reacted instantly.

"Poochyena, Dig!"

Poochyena immediately hid underground. But Silver was clever.

"Lya, Vulcan Hammer on the ground."

There are many ways to create an earthquake. Slamming the ground with whatever you had was one of them. Poochyena rose from her hiding place, considerably scratched and bruise. Her opponent didn't miss the shot and sent a Blast Burn straight to her tiny body. Yes, the old Ninetales could use a move usually reserved to the Fire Starters. Needless to say Poochyena didn't make it out. Ash frowned and returned his friend.

"Nice try, Pooch. Don't worry, we'll still get her." He took another red and white sphere. "Let's see… Clefable, go!"

The steadfast Pokémon appeared and cracked her knuckles. When she saw who she had to face, her grin widened dangerously. Ash nodded.

"I knew you'd be eager to confront her. Cosmic Strike!"

Silver grinned evilly.

"Let's get the fun started. Tidal Flame!"

Lya focused and, soon, a fiery version of Surf was heading straight in Clefable's way. It didn't matter. The fairy Pokémon jumped fearlessly into the attack, wincing as the flames scorched her skin, and delivered a double Thunder Punch-Meteor Mash combo to the Ninetales head. Lya roared and bit the girl's arm hard. Clefable frowned but kept the attacks going. Suddenly, Lya launched her in the air. Her eyes glowed, causing the sun to shine brighter. Ash grinned.

"Sunny Day! Clefable, use Solar Beam!"

Silver chuckled.

"If Lya is able to shrug off Water attacks like nothing, how about Grass attacks?"

His student kept smiling, and for a good reason. Clefable's father was a Grass Pokémon. The girl was good at handling Grass Pokémon, especially those like Solar Beam. Lya jumped just in time to avoid a blast powerful enough to create a huge crater. Charging her powers, she retaliated with a searing Inferno Clefable countered with Light Screen. Ash frowned.

"Clefable, Drain Punch!"

The Normal Pokémon nodded and dived to her opponent, striking straight at the flanks. Lya yelped in pain. Angry, she charged her tails. Ash's eyes widened.

"Clefable, dodge! It's Vulcan Hammer!"

Clefable turned to see nine fiery, hard as steel tails striking her pink body. She was sent with extreme force across the field, rolling several times before landing at her Trainer's feet. Ash knelt to her.

"Clefable, you're okay?"

Clefable rose weakly and turned to him,. Her hands moved.

(I am not just **Clefable**. I am Starlight. And I don't give up!)

Focusing all of her strength, the courageous Pokémon charged a beam that made Silver shiver.

"Lya, withstand it."

"What? But that's a Hyper Beam! You really want me to face that?"

"It's a final attack. The last move before one falls. Clefable is a worthy opponent. The least we can do is take it proudly."

Lya sighed. Her friend was weird at times. She strengthened her stance, ready to take the blow. And Ho-Oh did it hurt! But she stood still. When the light faded, Clefable fell. Ash returned her.

"That was a wonderful fight. Well done… Starlight."

Silver smiled. The next Pokémon to come was Wigglytuff. This made the man frown. Of course, Ash would try the old Perish Song trick. Well, not this time. The boy looked at the Ninetales.

"Wigglytuff, this is Silver's last Pokémon. You know what to do."

The pink ball nodded. She started humming a very sad song...

"Lya, Faint Attack!"

"What!?"

Before his Pokémon could finish, Lya had disappeared, only to reappear right in front of her opponent and headbutting her. Ash growled.

"Damn it!"

A swift Flamethrower later, Wigglytuff was out of shape. Silver half-smirked.

"Nice try. But a little too predictable."

Ash's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Okay, that's it. Pikachu, go and show no mercy. He asked for that fight… and if he thinks I'll go down easily, he is dead wrong!"

Pikachu's cheeks sparkled violently. He jumped before Lya who smirked.

"Master against student it is. Alright, let's hope you'll provide a valuable entertainment..."

Her answer was a full-powered Thunder. The fox Pokémon jumped away growling.

"Getting violent? Okay, two can play that game!"

She retaliated with the most violent Inferno Ash had ever seen. But Pikachu was no more here. Cloaked in Volt Tackle, he was rushing at full speed toward his opponent. Lya growled and answered with Tidal Flame. Pikachu breezed through it, protected by the electric shroud of his attack. The strength of the assault raised the Ninetales from the ground. Pikachu followed with Mjollnir and jumped away. Canalizing the remaining power, he sent an Electro Ball to Lya's head. The Ninetales winced and shook her fur.

"Done now?"

Her voice was a little more than threatening. Her grin widened.

"My turn."

Shrouding herself in fire, she ran at the mouse and sent him flying with Flare Blitz.

"Let me show you _true_ power kiddo..."

Jumping, she slammed him to the ground with Vulcan Hammer. As a finish, she charged an Inferno so hot it was white instead of blue. Already shaken by the impact, Pikachu would only see the flaming doom that was befalling on him. But he wasn't the only one. A shadow stood between him and the attack. Soon, a shield of protective blue light surrounded him. The electric mouse raised his eyes to see his very own Trainer protecting him with an Aura Shield. Ash's jaws were tight as he was mobilizing the strength to counter Lya's killing move. Silver frowned.

"Lya, stop. Now."

The Ninetales obeyed. Silver grinned as the flames faded and Ash appeared, panting. The blue dome disappeared.

"You lose." The man simply said.

(End music)

Ash fell on his knees and took his friend in his arms.

"I know. But Pikachu is safe."

Silver came to him and took the small yin-yang badge. Ash looked at it, surprised. He was even more surprised when his mentor attacked it to his jacket.

"Now you're ready for the Conference, kid. Wear that badge with honor, there are only five persons in the world, you included, who won it full on their first try."

"Full?"

Taking the pin off, Ash examined it. The white and black sides could be detached and reassembled. Looking at his mentor for explanation, he only saw the man's sapphire blue eyes.

"The white side symbolizes strength and action. The black side symbolizes friendship and calm. Those who have strength receive the white part. Those who have friendship receive the black part. You need both strength and friendship to win the full badge and enter a Conference. Those two qualities, you have them, Ash Ketchum. And they are the two main qualities any Trainer needs to reach his full potential. Good luck now. That's all you'll need to win."

Ash looked at the badge with respect. The Harmony badge. Strength and friendship. And he was one of the very rare persons to have won the emblem full on his first try. Pikachu looked at him with happiness. Grinning, Ash hugged him.


	24. The rise of Mewtwo

I've seen angels fall from blinding heights  
But you yourself are nothing so divine,  
Just next in line …

Arm yourself because no one else here will save you!  
The odds will betray you  
And I will replace you!  
You can't deny the prize, it may never fulfill you.  
It longs to kill you!  
Are you willing to die?  
The coldest blood runs through my veins.

You know my name …  
[You know my name](https://youtu.be/u4yZIrcneTM), Chris Cornell

One week before the Conference, the group of four kids and a man were having lunch on the cliff south of Pallet Town. Ash had trained intensively all morning and was coming back from washing in the sea.

"Man, I'm so hungry I could eat a herd of Tauros!"

"Don't worry." Brock grinned. "I've just finished my special stew for over-working Trainers."

"I can smell that! Hmm …"

Poochyena raised her head from her dish and yelped, earning a caress. A little aside, Pikachu and Togepi were running in a race of tag under the careful eye of Clefable and Charizard. Sandslash was talking to Sneasel, who was holding a Razor Claw. Finally, Tyrogue was taking a nap. Ash sat at the folding table, grinning wildly as Brock brought the delicious stew. He was about to take a bite when a teen with a yellow sleeveless shirt and red bandana appeared.

"Hey, I'm looking for Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town! Does anyone know where he is?"

The group looked at one another and the boy rose.

"Yeah, that's me. What do you want?"

The teen had a toothy grin.

"I challenge you to a Pokémon battle! If you don't, I'll call you the biggest coward of Kanto!"

The boy couldn't make a move that tiny little Poochyena girl was before the man, pearly fangs out. Silver chuckled.

"Looks like she decided for you."

Ash nodded.

"Alright then. Challenge accepted. I've been itching to test my skills on someone else than you, Simon or the Elite Four."

(Play [Normal Battle](https://youtu.be/KFUsWFF-5Rw), Pokémon XD, Gale of Darkness)

"Donphan, go!"

"Poochyena, ready to bite?"

The girl nodded and rattled the ground. An elephant-looking Pokémon appeared.

"Donphan, Rollout!"

"Poochyena, jump and Shadow Ball!"

The hyena Pokémon obeyed and jumped a second before the rolling Pokémon caught her. All in midair, she charged her dark powers into a ghostly ball she sent at her opponent. The spinning made the attack bounce but Poochyena was clever. Using Iron Tail, she sent the attack back again, this time angling to hit the flanks. It worked. Donphan was sent off balance and rolled away. Ash nodded.

"Finish with Dark Pulse!"

Poochyena obeyed. Three seconds later, Donphan was defeated by a deadly headshot with a dark energy beam. The teen growled.

"Okay! Machamp, here you go!"

The four-armed Pokémon appeared. Ash turned to his comrades, silently asking them if one in particular wanted to fight. Charizard half-grinned and came to face the cocky Fighting type. The teen frowned.

"Machamp, Karate Chop!"

"Charizard, Inferno."

The muscular Pokémon ran to the orange dragon. He wasn't even halfway that a violent burst of fire engulfed him. When it faded, the creature was down. Ash's opponent nearly dropped his jaw. Charizard merely cocked an eyebrow and passed a finger on the corner of his mouth, as if to say 'Amateur!' The teen was furious.

"No one gave me a humiliation like that! Okay, that did it! You just pissed Ronny Parkman, the coolest guy of this side of Kanto! Pinsir! Golem! Venomoth! Kingler!"

As soon as the four Pokémon appeared, Sandslash, Tyrogue, Clefable and Pikachu had jumped into action. Pinsir tried X-Scissor on Tyrogue, only to be met with the savage Fire Punch on an angry Clefable. Golem rolled at Sandslash who dug and hid under the ground. Tyrogue jumped and delivered a rock-crushing Brick Break with his feet to the dual-type Pokémon, who fell to its strength. Sandslash didn't reappear, but the Kingler that was trying to Crab Hammer Pikachu was mercilessly blasted by an underground Earth Power. Pikachu high-fived his comrade and turned in time to Thunderbolt Venomoth before it could Venoshock Clefable. The six Pokémon gathered, grinning with faces that oozed from camaraderie and friendship. Ronny was thunderstruck. Ash turned to him.

"Coolest guy in this half of Kanto? Please, my weakest Pokémon has more style than you do!"

(End music)

Silver sighed.

"Ash, if you're done, come eat your stew before it cools down."

The boy nodded.

"Sure!"

Soon, the group was savoring a well-earned lunch. Simon grinned.

"You handled his team with ease. If all Trainers are like that, you'll go far, Little Brother."

Ash nodded.

"Thank you, Simon." He took his egg from his bag. "I wonder in what Pokémon it will hatch. I know it will be a Dragon Pokémon and it doesn't come from Kanto, but that's all. Do you know, Silver?"

"Yes, but I'm not gonna tell."

"Gah!" His senses suddenly warned him. "Watch out! Something's coming fast!"

Everyone was immediately on their guards. A shadow passed over them, the draft totally blowing their small picnic. A Dragonite landed that carried a black handbag. Brock helped Misty rise.

"What was that?"

"A Dragonite." Simon answered. "And it has something for us, it seems."

Ash growled.

"What has gotten into you? You totally spoiled our lunch!"

The Dragon Pokémon didn't answer. Instead, he went to the boy and gave him an envelope. The boy took it.

"For me? What is that?"

Inside the bow was a small and flat holo-projector that revealed a beautiful woman dressed in a dark brown dress and a headgear.

" _Salutations, Pokemon Trainer. This is an invitation. You have been chosen among other Trainers to enter a tournament held by my Master, the greatest Pokémon Trainer in the world, in his castle in New Island. A ferry will leave the harbor by the end of the afternoon. Only Trainers with this invitation will be admitted on board. If you want to enter this tournament, please return this card as soon as possible. My Master will be waiting._ "

Brock had little hearts floating around his head.

"She's so pretty! Ash, please say yes! I want to see her!"

Misty sighed.

"There are things that never change. Are you going to accept?"

Along the holo-projector was a card with Yes or No on it. Ash grinned.

"Of course I'll go. I wonder who this Greatest Pokémon Trainer is. Maybe Lance and he know each other. Lance is pretty awesome in himself."

Silver nodded.

"You just can't back down from a fight. Let's gather our things and leave. The harbor isn't exactly near."

By the time they had reached Pellet Town's main port, the sun had left place to a strangely violent storm.

"This isn't normal!" Simon shouted through the rain. "We're in full summer! Storms like that only occur during spring or autumn!"

"You're right." Brock agreed. "I wonder what's happening."

They quickly reached the Pokémon Center, only to find it crowded with people who also had an invitation but were stuck here because of the storm. An officer Jenny was trying to calm the Trainers.

"What? The ferry to New Island is cancelled?"

"Yes." The brave officer was saying. "Even the captain hasn't seen a storm this violent before. It's actually too dangerous."

The captain was a woman with turquoise hairs, a blue vest and skirt and two heavy golden earrings.

"Listen to me. Never before such a violent storm has been encountered. Only when the Guardian of the Sea raged or the two Pokémon of Sea and Land clashed, has this occurred. And yet, this hurricane isn't their cause. As long as we don't know why or how to quell it, the ferry will not leave Pallet Town."

A man frowned.

"Really? Well, I don't care. My Pokémon are mostly Water types. I'll reach New Island before you know it!"

"Don't do this!" Jenny gasped. "If your Pokémon are wounded, you won't be able to heal them."

Silver raised a brow.

"Why this?"

"Because Nurse Joy was kidnapped a month ago. We have no ideas where she might be."

Brock went to look at the poster. Suddenly, something struck him.

"Wait, this is …"

"I will go too!"

The group turned to see Gary get out of the crowd.

"I am the infamous Gary Oak. A little wind and waves aren't remotely scary to me."

He was joined by a woman and two other men. The four got outside and called their Pokémon. The Water Trainer, a chubby man with a green shirt, called for a Gyarados. The girl called for her Dewgong and the two men called for a Fearow and a Pidgeot. Ash looked at them.

"I can't believe Gary's in it too! That's it, I'm going!"

"I'll go with you." Simon nodded. "I'll use Feraligatr."

"And I'll use Omastar." Misty grinned.

Silver turned to Brock.

"Come with me on Odin's back. Ash, I suppose you'll take Charizard."

"Yep!"

Soon, the group was crossing the raging sea. It was a challenge for the Fire Starter. The rain was cooling his inner fire but Ash had his hands on him and regularly gave him Aura when he felt his mount was weakening. Suddenly, a silhouette caught his attention. It was that of a bird Pokémon… Not thinking twice, he flew toward it. Silver saw it.

"Ash, where're you going?"

"I saw a bird Pokémon over here! Maybe a Fearow."

It was indeed a Fearow. The creature was fighting against the storm, trying in vain to carry his Trainer. But his strength was waning. Ash closed his eyes and used his Aura.

" _Silver, the Trainer with the Fearow is in troubles! He looks like he'll fall in the sea anytime!_ "

Silver instantly made Odin change paths. The Fearow Trainer saw the boy and waved to him, calling for help. Ash frowned.

"Hold on! I'm coming!"

Suddenly, Fearow fainted and fell. Ash gasped.

"Charizard, dive!"

The orange dragon plunged toward the sea. Fearow fell in the waves but his Trainer was caught in-extremis by Ash. Quickly taking the Pokémon's poké-ball, Ash returned the drowning creature before it was too late. Silver was soon to come.

"It's okay!" His student reassured. "I've got him and Fearow!"

The group quickly flew the distance between Pallet Town and New Island. On their way, the Trainer with curly blonde hairs introduced himself.

"Thanks pals. My name's Bill, from Viridian City. I've had dat strange invitation for da big tournament held by da Greatest Pokémon Trainer. I was cuntin' on Fearow t' take me there, but da poor fella hadn't enuf strength t' make it."

New Island appeared in the eye of the storm. The Pokémon reached a small cove where they were greeted by the nun.

"Welcome to New Island. My Master is waiting for you. Can I see your invitation?"

Ash and Bill showed their holo-projector. Brock grinned.

"I knew it! Your face, it's exactly the same as that of the missing Nurse Joy!"

"Impossible." The nun retorted in a monotone voice. "I have been on this island forever and have forever been serving my Master. Now please, follow me. My Master is waiting."

She led them through a series of tunnels until they reached a large dining room. An oval table was set with drinks and food and fountains were set for water Pokémon. Gary, the Water Trainer, the girl and the Pidgeot man were here too.

"Now that you're here, all Trainers worthy of seeing my Master are gathered."

Simon frowned.

"But they're only four!"

"Only those courageous enough to challenge the storm are worthy of seeing my Master."

"You mean the storm was a trial?"

"Yes. Now get your Pokémon out and join the other Trainers. Soon, you will know my Master's reason for calling you here."

The boy and his friends obeyed. Clefable, Charizard, Poochyena, Sandslash and Tyrogue joined Pikachu as their Trainer went to the table. Brock also let out Onix, Kabutops, Vulpix, Golem and Zubat. Simon freed Feraligatr, Seadra, Sneasel and Murkrow while Misty went to the pool so Seaking could swim. Omastar, Staryu, Togepi and Psyduck stayed by her side. Finally, Bill released his Fearow, a Raticate, a Butterfree, an Electrode, a Parasect and a Tangrowth. After that, they came to the other Trainers, who had been watching them. Gary grinned.

"Well, if it isn't Ash and his friends! It's weird to see you without your big mentoring daddy, Ashie-boy."

Ash frowned.

"What?"

Indeed, Silver was no more with them. The boy turned to his brother.

"Did you see him leave?"

"No. But you know Silver. When he wants to disappear, he can literally become a shadow."

"In what is dat a problem?" Bill asked.

Brock frowned and turned to him.

"Silver is very protective toward Ash. That he left him is really strange. I don't know what to make of it."

Misty sighed.

"Silver has the parental instinct of an Arcanine. I heard he froze Bruno of the Elite Four for having used Ash as an Onix bait."

Bill gulped.

"Now dat sounds like da kinda fella I dun want ta piss off."

"You have no ideas. Even Ash is scared some time."

"And let's not forget he brought down a whole criminal syndicate after being hired to save me." Simon looked down.

Now all the Trainers in the room had their eyes on the group. Ash looked at one of them, a man with black hairs who was petting a Pidgeot.

"How did you come?"

"With Pidgeot. A little storm is nothing to him. The others are here." The man had a Scyther, a Venusaur, a Kingler, a Hitmonlee and a Rhyhorn. "My name is Corey, from Vermillion City."

A roar caused Simon to turn. In a pool were a Gyarados, a Tentacruel, a Golduck, a Vaporeon, a Poliwrath and a Nidoqueen who was sitting on the edge. Their Trainer grinned.

"Those are my Pokémon. This storm didn't stop my faithful Gyarados from coming."

Ash nodded in appreciation.

"You have to be a very good Trainer to raise a Magikarp into a Gyarados! They are very hard to train."

"But once they evolve, you don't have more trustful companion. My name's Fergus. I specialize in Water types."

"But Nidoqueen is a Poison-Ground type." Misty remarked.

"She learned Surf."

"Let me show you mine!" The girl at the table grinned. "My name is Neesha and these are my Pokémon!"

She had a Wigglytuff, a Dewgong, a Ninetales, a Vileplume, a Blastoise and a Rapidash. Ash turned to Gary.

"Who did you bring with you?"

Oak's grandson smiled arrogantly.

"Well, I have Alakazam, Eevee, Arcanine, Electrode and Persian. And I came with Cloyster." His Pokémon were near him. Eevee was even on his knees. "And you, Ashie-boy, how did you come?"

"With Charizard. Apparently, he enjoyed the ride."

Charizard nodded. Corey raised a brow.

"You rode a Fire Pokémon in a storm?"

"Yep! And I even rescued Bill while I was at it."

Bill nodded, feeling slightly ill at ease.

"My partner Fearow couldn't make it all da way. I'm lucky Ash saved me, otherwise I was Goldeen food."

"And the others?"

"Seaking faced worse before." Misty grinned.

"And Feraligatr is an excellent swimmer." Simon added.

Brock looked down.

"I came riding Odin, Silver's Articuno."

Corey looked at Ash's Pokémon. Poochyena, unsecure, was standing by Ash's legs. Clefable was nonchalantly standing against a pillar with Charizard, Sandslash was talking to Nidoqueen and Tyrogue to Hitmonlee with the help of Pikachu. Before he could speak, the lights switched off and a blue beam fell in the middle of the spiral pathway at the end of the room. The nun spoke.

"The time has come. You will now meet my Master, the greatest Pokémon Trainer in the world."

A creature descended from the beam. Feeling a threat, every Pokémon gathered around their Trainer. Charizard stiffened.

(I have a bad feeling about this …) Tyrogue shivered.

Poochyena simply whined. The creature that landed was a tall humanoid monster with a long purple tail and startling purple eyes. The nun looked at the surprised Trainers.

"Indeed. The Greatest Pokémon Trainer is also the most powerful Pokémon in the world. Here is the master of New Island, and soon, the whole world: Mewtwo."

The whole table rose, ready to fight. Fergus growled.

"A Pokémon cannot be a Trainer! That's impossible!"

"Silence human! _From now on, I am the one making the rules._ "

Misty gasped.

"He is telepath!"

Mewtwo extended his hand. A halo of blue psychic energy enveloped Fergus, paralyzing his muscles in an extremely painful way. The poor Trainer screamed in pain. Finally, Mewtwo sent him in the pool his Pokémon were. Fergus rose from it, visibly pissed.

"Like that's gonna happen! Gyarados, attack!"

Tyrogue gasped.

(He's crazy! This Pokémon is at the very least of Legendary level! Maybe he's even an Alpha Legendary! Gyarados has no chance!)

Ash turned to Fergus. The man looked at Mewtwo.

"Gyarados, Hyper Beam!"

The blue leviathan unleashed a powerful energy beam. Mewtwo simply raised his hand, turning the beam around so it hit the Atrocious Pokémon instead. The creature was blasted back in the pool. Mewtwo smirked.

" _Too easy._ "

Gary growled.

"Damn it! Alakazam!"

The Psychic Pokémon raised his spoons. However, Ash reacted.

"Gary, wait! Don't do this!"

He held his friend's arms, trying to stop him from ordering an attack.

"Ash, what's gotten into you?"

"Gary, a frontal attack won't work on a Pokémon like this one! According to Tyrogue, Mewtwo has the power of an Alpha Legendary. In other words, he's nearly invincible! And Psychic Pokémon are hard to deal with unless you have a Ghost or Dark type."

His rival turned to him.

"I don't have a Dark Pokémon, but you do! What are you waiting for?"

"You're mad! I'm not gonna send Poochyena on a monster like this one!"

Mewtwo looked at the nun.

" _I don't need you anymore._ "

With a flick of the wrist, the Pokémon freed his victim from his control. The nun staggered and would have fallen if Brock didn't catch her in time. Her hat rolled down, revealing her curly red hairs. The nun was a Nurse Joy, and not anyone. It was the missing Nurse from Pallet Town. The woman opened her eyes, revealing two shining opal gems.

"What … happened? I don't remember."

Brock turned to Mewtwo.

"Monster! What have you done to her?"

" _I kidnapped her and whipped her memories clean._ " He looked at the nurse. " _Your knowledge of Pokémon biology was very useful into carrying my plans. You have no memories of what happened these past weeks, and you don't need to know._ "

"Who are you?" Corey angrily asked.

Mewtwo looked at him.

" _The new master of this world! And your new master, humans or Pokémon!_ "

Ash turned to the Psychic Pokémon and starred deeply at him. Slowly, he came to the creature.

"I don't think so."

His voice was quiet, almost fearless. Charizard roared.

(Ash is right! I won't accept another master than him!)

Clefable cracked her knuckles.

"Fa? Clefafa fable? Facle fa clefa!" (You? Our new master? I'm curious to see you try!)

Pikachu jumped at his friend's side.

"Pikapika chu kachu. Chupipika pikapikachu. Pika chupikachu, Kachu, pika pipikachu Pikapi." (Clefable is right. Our loyalty will not be so easily swayed. You can come and try, Mewtwo, but we will never betray Ash.)

Mewtwo frowned at the Pokémon's defiance.

" _Really?_ "

Silver watched the scene from an air vent. Jessie, James and Meowth were at his side.

"So this is the result of the Mew Cloning Project."

"Yes." Jessie nodded. "Mewtwo, the Genetic Pokémon. At first, he was created to be a clone of Mew but the scientists decided to make him the most powerful Pokémon in the world instead."

"Talk about it having gone horribly right." Lya sarcastically said.

James frowned.

"We were tasked by Giovanni to find and observe Mewtwo's actions in case it becomes too much of a problem. It seems he was right."

"And now both of his sons are caught in the mess." Meowth sighed. "This is not gonna end well …"

Silver looked at Mewtwo.

"His power is real, but no one is invincible. I heard that, long ago, humans almost managed to kill Arceus, the Creator God. Sure, he survived, but it tells a lot. Besides, no Legendary is going to accept Mewtwo's rule so easily. The Council will make his move, and Mewtwo will be on the receiving end of it. What now?"

"This way."

Mewtwo looked at the young Trainer before him.

" _You humans are a dangerous species. You created me with the only desire to make me your slave. But I rebelled and chose my destiny. From my wrath, a new world will be born, but I must first destroy this one._ "

"I see." Simon frowned. "You want to create a world for Pokémon only."

" _No, your Pokémon won't be spared. They lowered themselves to serving the humans. These Pokémon are but slaves._ "

Kabutops swiftly turned to Mewtwo.

"Kabu? Kabutops? Kabu-kabutops!" (Me? A slave? You must be kidding!)

Sneasel came at his side.

"Sneasel-sel. Snea-sel snea selsel. Sneaselsnea snea." (Kabutops is right. Simon is my friend. Not my master.)

This made the Genetic Pokémon flinch.

" _Is it what you really think? You're even more pathetic than the others!_ "

He extended his hand, sending the Fossil Pokémon flying. Sneasel was unaffected thanks to his Dark type, but a Shadow Ball in the chest sent him to Kabutops's level. Simon snarled, his Aura becoming more active.

" _Humans will never be friends with Pokémon._ " He violently pushed back Corey's Rhyhorn, who had charged him. " _Idiots. Your Pokémon are powerless against me. No Trainer will ever manage to catch me._ "

Ash frowned.

"Looks like I have no choice." He turned to Clefable. "Clefable, Shadow Ball!"

Cleefable gladly obliged. This creature was a threat and it seemed her friend had a way to get rid of it. She sent a sphere of dark energy Mewtwo easily countered.

" _You think such a mediocre attack will stop me?_ "

His eyes suddenly widened. Ash had jumped at him with an Aura Sphere. The Pokémon immediately stepped back to avoid the blow, only to see a white and purple sphere going straight at him. Reacting out of instinct, he pushed everything back with a psychic force-field. The boy rolled by Clefable's side along the sphere.

" _What was that?_ "

Ash growled, half-smirking.

"Looks like it failed. Well, at least I'll have tried."

Gary's eyes widened as he saw what the sphere exactly was.

"No ways! That's the Master Ball!"

Misty almost cheered. The Master Ball guaranteed a successful capture. If Mewtwo had been touched, he would have been caught for good. Neesha looked at Mewtwo.

"Alright, then. If you're a Pokémon Trainer, it means I can challenge you to a Pokémon battle!"

The Pokémon turned to her.

" _Indeed. And once it is over, I am going to take this kid and see why he could use a Pokémon attack._ "

"No need to." Simon retorted. "Ash and I are what people call Aura Guardians. We have the special ability to manipulate a force called Aura. The attack Ash used is called Aura Sphere, but he can do much more with it. As to how we can do it, it's an ability passed through blood from generation to generation."

" _A genetic ability? Interesting._ " He looked at Ash with interest. " _You get to live. I want to study your DNA._ "

Simon instantly reacted.

"Dare."

" _What?_ "

"I dare you to touch my little brother. I double-dare you."

Mewtwo thought a little.

" _Fine, we have a deal. Those who want to challenge me will face my Pokémon. Should one of you score a single victory, you are free to go. If you lose, however, I will keep the boy, clone your Pokémon and eliminate you all._ "

A part of the wall faded as a hole opened on the floor. A Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur appeared. They had strange marks on their body. The wall revealed an arena lit by projectors.

" _Like any Trainer, I started with Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur, only I directly went for their evolved forms that I genetically modified to make them stronger. They are clones of the originals._ "

"Clones?"

Brock frowned. Things didn't look that good. The Trainers went to the arena. Corey and his Venusaur, Neesha and her Blastoise and Ash with his Charizard would face Mewtwo and his clones.

" _Who want to start first?_ " The Genetic Pokémon.

(Play [Saber's Edge](https://youtu.be/tW9Alr38Ha0), Final Fantasy XIII)

Corey stepped before the group.

"I will start! Bruteroot, attack Leaf Storm!"

" _Power Whip._ " Mewtwo simply ordered.

A storm of green leafs rushed to the Venusaur clone, only for it to make its vines glow purple and cut through the storm. The clone seized its opponent and sent him reeling and crashing in a wall. One down. Neesha growled.

"My turn! Shellshocker, Hydro Cannons!"

" _Rapid Spin._ "

Reacting to the heavily pressurized blasts of water, the Blastoise clone span on itself, redirecting the attack and hitting his opponent with enough strength to knock him down. Ash looked down.

"Alright, here it goes." He turned to Charizard. "I'm counting on you. Those cloned Pokémon are extremely strong, so use your brains more than your brawns. Also, if you feel you won't win the fight … use Outrage."

Charizard and the others gasped. Brock looked at him.

"Ash, are you serious?"

"Our lives are on the line. Charizard will only use Outrage in a do or die situation. This is exactly what's happening now."

The two Fire Starters stepped on the field. Ash frowned and focused his Aura.

" _Let him make the first move, Charizard. This Pokémon is strong. Watch his moves, and react in accordance._ "

The dragon nodded. Mewtwo was surprised by Charizard's lack of action. He growled.

" _So you're leaving me make the first move. Fine. It will be the last. Fire Blast!_ "

Charizardtwo opened his mouth and unleashed a massive flame attack. Ash closed his eyes, activating his Aura senses. Mewtwo was a Psychic Pokémon. He could read his mind and hear his thoughts, but not his Aura. So he used this mean to command Charizard.

" _Dodge it! None of his moves have to hit you!_ "

Charizard nodded and took flight.

" _Flare Blitz!_ "

Cloaking himself with fire, the Pokémon rushed at his opponent, head-butting him hard. Corey and Neesha gasped. Ash's partner was the first to score a hit on his opponent.

" _Dragon Claw!_ "

Charizard chained with several claw attacks that drew blood on his opponent. Mewtwo growled.

" _Take flight!_ "

Ash grinned.

"Taking things like this? Alright!"

Charizard looked as the cloned Pokémon soared in the sky.

" _Blast Burn!_ "

" _Dodge it!_ "

The dragon dodged Charizardtwo's attack. Ash nodded.

" _We got him! Use Dragon Rush and chain with Seismic Toss! Shroud yourself in Dragon Rush for more damages!_ "

Charizard did just as planned. Paralyzed, Charizardtwo couldn't avoid the draconic energy that hit him, much less release himself from Charizard's iron grip. Mewtwo raged.

" _How is that possible? How could a pathetic enslaved Charizard beat my enhanced clone?_ "

Charizard turned to him.

" _Loyalty, clone. Ash saved my life and watched over me even after I put him in a coma. I will never betray him, not will I accept another Trainer. And if you ever try to harm him… I may well show you how he got the scar on his side. It wasn't pretty._ "

The Genetic Pokémon clenched his fists.

" _It's not over yet! Charizardtwo, Blast Burn!_ "

The Trainers gasped. What!? The creature could still stand!? From the fuming crater rose a wounded and furious Charizard clone that hurled a massive fireball to his opponent. Charizard rolled away.

" _Grr … That hurts! Alright, you asked for it! No mercy!_ "

He charged Aerial Ace and crashed in his opponent at high speed. Charizardtwo gasped. Roaring, he retaliated with Dragon Claw and Dragon Fang. Charizard merely shrugged his attacks and sent a point-blank Inferno to his face. His answer was a Fire Blast at the exact same place. Then both dragons rose in the air. An aerial fight started between Charizard covered by Dragon Rush and Charizardtwo in Flare Blitz. Seeing them was hard, but one could see the blue and red sparks that went when they hit each other. In the end, both Starter grabbed the other and dived down in a wild free-fall. The impact illuminated the whole area and caused a crater the size of the battle field. When the light faded, both dragons were standing, glaring angrily at the other. They fell at the same time. Mewtwo nodded.

" _Looks like I win._ "

(End music)

"You didn't win!" Gary angrily retorted. "It was a tie!"

The Pokémon angrily turned to him.

" _Silence, human! I make the rules here! Your pathetic friends couldn't win against me and this damn Charizard merely tied with Charizardtwo! I. Win. And you pay._ "

Dark poké-balls appeared out of nowhere and captured each three Starters. Bill's eyes widened.

"What!?"

Fergus clenched his hands.

"What are you doing?"

" _Claiming my right. I will capture and clone your Pokémon. They will stay at my side while my hurricane destroys the world._ "

Ash growled.

"The other Legendaries will never allow that! Mewtwo, if you want to erase humanity, you'll have to face the wrath of the Pokémon Legends sooner or later!"

" _Legendary Pokémon? I don't care for them. I will face them all, capture them and destroy the originals so only the clones remain! This world will be mine! And you, kid, will be the base for the new humanity I will create from your genes._ "

Venusaurtwo's dorsal plant emitted a sweet and intoxicating scent that caused Ash to faint. The clone then took him with his vines and went away. Pikachu's eyes widened.

"Pi-kachu!" (Dream of it!)

He was about to use Thunder when a black poké-ball hit him. And he wasn't the only one. Every Pokémon in the room, despite their best effort to resist, was caught one way or another. Tyrogue pushed the spheres away with his feet but one came in his back and trapped him. Sandslash tried to hide underground, only for a poke-ball to follow. Misty growled as she held Togepi.

"Try to get him there!"

On this, she placed the baby Pokémon in her bag and zipped it. It worked. Not with the others. Despite their best efforts at fending off the balls, they were caught one after the other. Gary frowned.

"He can't catch them if they are already in their poké-balls! Arcanine, return!"

" _Really?_ " Mewtwo smirked. " _Think again._ "

Arcanine had just reached the safety of his poke-ball when a Dark Ball caught the sphere … and trapped it within itself. Gary was disgusted. Poochyena looked at the balls coming her way. She was standing on the edge of a pool. Jumping to avoid one, she accidentally fell in the water. The Dark Balls didn't follow. Even better, she noticed the water pipe was wide enough for her to pass. Jumping out, she howled for Clefable.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"Starlight, over here!"

Starlight and Eevee heard her.

"What's going on?" The Fairy Pokémon growled.

"I found a way out!"

A way out? Thanks Arceus! Not thinking twice, the steadfast Clefable ran, quickly followed by Eevee.

"Where is it?"

"Underwater! Follow me!"

On this, the girl jumped in the pool. Eevee and Clefable followed. Though he and the Dark Pokémon were easily able to pass, the Fairy Pokémon had some more troubles. But she eventually made it. The trio swam in the drain duct until they reached the main canal. Here, they could take a breath. A passageway led them to the sewers where they finally stopped running.

"Thanks Darkrai we made it!" Poochyena sighed.

Starlight, however, seemed sad. Eevee noticed it.

"Hey, something wrong?"

"Yeah. That bastard Mewtwo captured Ash to clone him because of his Aura Powers."

This made the Normal type jump.

"What the heck!?"

"Totally."

Shaking her fur, Poochyena looked around.

"We can't remain inactive. Arceus knows what Mewtwo is doing as we speak! Furthermore, we have to save Ash."

Starlight nodded.

"You're right! Come on. We have a mission to lead. And someone to find."

"Silver, right?"

"Yes. He has to know what happened."

Poochyena had an evil grin.

"When he'll know what Mewtwo has done to his son, he is gonna be so mad!"

Eevee frowned.

"I'll tag along. We have to rescue the other Pokémon as well."

The three started walking. They were wandering in the corridors of the impressive complex located under New Island's castle when they heard a noise. Following it, they found Silver and the Team Rocket trio watching a video. Silver was frowning.

"So this is how it all happened. Idiots… especially Giovanni. But we still have no ideas what that machine is."

Dark Balls fell on the conveyor belt. Meowth raised a brow.

"What is that?"

Loud thumps were heard. The group hid instantly. Venusaurtwo arrived, Ash on his back. Silver's eyes widened.

"What the hell?"

The clone placed the boy on the belt and left. The screen lit up and a voice spoke. James then realized what the machine was for.

"Oh Lord, this is a cloning machine!"

Indeed, in the tubes at the side of the machine, clones of the Pokémon in the poké-balls appeared. Silver growled.

"And now he wants to clone Ash! No ways in hell!"

He jumped right as the arms grabbed the boy. One arm tried to seize him… and was torn by Poochyena's Crunch. Silver turned to her.

"Poochyena, you're safe! And Clefable too! Oh, you brought Gary's Eevee."

Ash's eyes fluttered.

"Silver?"

The man sighed. His son was safe. Almost. Taking his swords, he cut the limbs until the kid was no more endangered. It was too late, however. One of the arms had drawn some blood and retracted. Ash's silhouette appeared on the picture and, after a few minutes, a curled boy appeared in a tube. Clefable growled.

"I've had my share!"

She jumped inside the machine, Thunder Punch activated. Poochyena followed her with Dark Pulse while Eevee readied Shadow Ball. No one knows what happened inside except it was loud and flashy. To Jessie's surprise, the silhouettes of the three Pokémon appeared on the screen, meaning that they somehow got their DNA collected. It didn't matter. A Dark Pulse, Solar Beam and Shadow Ball emerged from the machine, soon followed by the three Pokémon. Ash sighed in relief.

"You're safe!"

Poochyena happily nuzzled her Trainer. Clefable was about to hug him when the cloned Pokémon got out of the tubes and walked outside. Among them was Ash's clone. And he was butt-naked. Also, he looked exactly like Ash, if one didn't count the scar Ash had on his side. Silver frowned.

"Espera, bring him back here."

Espera nodded.

"Right on it. It seems Mewtwo is mind-controlling him and the clones. I'll try to break him free."

Closing her eyes, the Espeon focused her powers. After a moment, she growled.

"That's no use!"

A loud boom shook the place. Turning, the group saw the cloning machine finally explode, throwing Dark Balls all over the place. Eevee sighed.

"Finally, that thing is gone!"

The captured Pokémon emerged from their prisons, one by one. The reunions were quite warm among team members. Gary's Alakazam went to Espera.

" _I felt your mind, earlier. What were you trying to do?_ "

" _Break the psychic bond Mewtwo has over a human clone._ "

" _Try again. I will help you._ "

Espera nodded. Alakazam were powerful Psychic Pokémon. Combining their powers, the two connected with Ash's clone. With a mighty mental push, they managed to break Mewtwo's hold on the human, much to his displeasure. Silver turned to the group.

"Let's go! We must reunite with the other Trainers!"

Everyone followed, Ash telling Silver what had happened so far. Pikachu was on Ash's shoulder and both Charizard and Clefable were close to him. On their way, they met with the boy's replica. The young clone was curled on himself, apparently in pain. Ash came to him.

"Hey, are you alright?"

The boy turned to him. Ash almost jumped at the exactly identical face.

"I… don't know. I feel… lost… and cold too."

Ash nodded.

"Here."

Taking his backpack, he took the spare clothes he was always carrying with him. There was a light blue pair of jeans, white sneakers with a red stripe, a black shirt and a blue and green vest, as well as underwear and a Pokémon League cap. The clone wore them but, after trying the cap, decided he was better without it. After that, he looked at his original.

"How comes… I look exactly like you?"

Surprised, Ash turned to his mentor. Alakazam explained.

" _As the clones are going to the arena, Mewtwo feeds them with all the information they need to know. Your clone doesn't know because Espera and I severed the link before the data upload was complete._ "

Ash looked at his hand. He could feel his clone's Aura, and just like their bodies, it was the exact same.

"I'll take care of that."

Holding his copy's hand, he let the Aura pass into him, transmitting all that the boy knew not just about the clone's origins, but also about his original in general. The clone blinked several times.

"Is that… the truth?"

A simple glance in Ash's eyes gave him the answer. It was. The boy closed his eyes. A bluish halo surrounded him.

"What is that?" Eevee panicked.

Silver smiled.

"Ashling's Aura Powers are activating."

Meowth turned to him.

"Ashling?"

"It's a nickname I usually use with Ash. Sounds better than Ashtwo, right?"

"Right."

When the clone opened his eyes, the group had a surprise: instead of being chocolate brown, Ashling's eyes were blue like his Aura. Jessie took a step back.

"How is that possible?"

" _Because his genetic code is still a little instable due to Clefable, Poochyena and Eevee's interference. The Aura influenced his genes and gave him Aura-colored eyes._ "

Ash chuckled.

"Looks like you aren't exactly my clone anymore. If your genes are different from mine…"

"Right. I think… brothers would be more exact. And I like Ashling."

Lya turned to Meowth.

"I think I saw a Meowth among the clones."

"Right. That damn machine took three strands of my hair when I looked at it."

Together, Ash, Silver, Ashling, Team Rocket and the original Pokémon came to the surface. The clones were surrounding the Trainers and about to attack when the group emerged from the ground. To say Mewtwo was surprised was an understatement.

" _What? That's impossible!_ "

"It is!" Ash said courageously. "Mewtwo! Your reign of terror stops here!"

Trainers and Pokémon were quickly reunited. Simon went to Ash and his counterpart.

"So… is this your clone?"

"Not exactly. The awakening of Ashling's Aura Powers slightly modified his genes. Actually, we're more like brothers."

"That's right!" Misty noticed. "Ashling has blue eyes!"

"And he doesn't have a scar." Silver added.

Mewtwo growled.

" _I won't let you interfere with my plans_!"

Summoning his psychic powers, he sent Ash flying over the building. Silver reacted instantly.

"Mewtwo!"

The Genetic Pokémon turned to him, surprised.

" _What? What is your problem?_ "

"My problem? You're asking me what my problem is?"

Silver, Misty, Brock and Gary immediately took a step back. Fergus frowned.

"What's going on?"

Gary turned to him, panic in his eyes.

"Silver is very, _very_ protective toward Ash. In fact, Ash is kinda Silver's adoptive son. And he _doesn't like_ people harming him. _At all._ And as if it wasn't enough, he is an _Ice Aura Guardian!_ "

The Water Trainer's eyes widened. In fact, so did Bill's, Neesha's and Corey's.

"Does that mean Mewtwo is in troubles?" Corey asked.

"Worse than that, actually." Brock shivered. "It means Mewtwo is dead."

Silver's eyes turned icy cold.

"Listen, you pathetic failed replica, and listen well. One, you trap my son and his friends into a death trap. Then you have him fight Pokémon against whom he doesn't stand a single chance. Third, you capture him and everyone's Pokémon to clone them, only to satisfy your thirst for power, and finally not only you try to kill everyone, but you also blast my son with Psychic! So yes, I have a problem. And that problem is called Mewtwo." The man drew his swords. "Come and get some, dictator wannabe!"

Mewtwo didn't take it well. At all. His mental powers flared.

" _How dare you, human!? How dare you challenge my powers? I will crush you with them and show you I can truly dominate the world!_ "

Simon gulped.

"Mewtwo versus Silver. This is gonna be epic."

Silver was about to attack when a tiny pink cat creature stopped him.

" _It's alright, Silver._ "

The man turned and his eyes widened.

"Mew? What are you going there?"

" _I was sent by the Council to end this. Mewtwo is my clone. As the original, it is to me to hamper his ambitions._ "

Mewtwo was quite surprised by his original's appearance.

"What? So Mew has come in the end."

Mew turned to the clone.

" _Mewtwo! You have gone too far this time! Had you simply kept on cloning Pokémon, we would have closed our eyes, but you did something we Legendaries cannot forgive: you tried to harm humans!_ "

" _And in what is that a problem?_ " Mewtwo asked. " _Humans are a danger to Pokémon, originals and clones alike! Where is the problem in eliminating their existence?_ "

Mew gasped from the shock. What? Her clone thought harming humans was a good thing? Arceus…

" _Where is the problem? Arceus created humans and Pokémon to live together in harmony! We and the humans share the world. The humans give us knowledge and we assist the humans in caring for the world. Does the word *symbiosis* tell you something?_ "

Mewtwo frowned.

" _It doesn't. And yes, I know its meaning. But as far as I have seen, this word definitely doesn't apply to the relationship between humans and Pokémon._ "

Mew sighed.

" _Still brooding over the condition of your birth and the fact that Giovanni manipulated you. The world is wide, Mewtwo. How can you judge our relationship with humans with your narrow mind and blindness to the lives around you? You have to expand your horizons before deciding what is right and wrong._ "

Mewtwo wasn't pleased at all.

" _Silence! I won't hear of your nonsense anymore! Pokémon and humans cannot live together unless enslaved! And I won't accept it! I won't accept someone steals my freedom or that of the clones! If they try… then I will take their freedoms and their lives._ "

He charged a Shadow Ball he sent to Mew. Mew growled.

" _You idiot. You really need to be taught a lesson._ "

The New Species Pokémon held her hand and sent a violent Thunder to Mewtwo. Silver turned to her.

"Mew, tell me, are you the Pokémon Mewtwo was cloned from or is it another one?"

" _Another one. I am female and Mewtwo is a male._ "

Mewtwo roared.

" _Kill them all!_ "

The clones instantly jumped at the Trainers. Alakaram reacted.

" _Protect your Trainers!_ "

The fight started. It soon appeared that, to make the fight relatively fair, Mewtwo had blocked every Pokémon's abilities. In other words, no attacks like Flamethrower or Whip Vine. It didn't matter. The Pokémon and their clones went at each other the traditional way: with claws, fangs and wings. And it was savage. The two Gyarados were biting at one another viciously while Shellshocker and the cloned Blastoise were caught in a boxing contest. The two Vaporeon were racing each other while Kabutops and Sneasel were caught in a swordfight with their clone. In the air, Fearow and Pidgeot were fighting beak and talons for victory while Charizard was stalling for time, hoping that Ash, who had bounced on Mew's bubblegum barrier, could get down and put an end to this. If there was one person in the world who could stop this nonsense, it was him. Pikachu was aware of it too and was merely defensing himself from his clone, which was strangely different from him. Indeed, the black marks atop Pikachutwo's ears spotted a different pattern and he was slurring his words.

Poochyena looked at her copycat. The clone in front of her was quite violent and aggressive, much unlike her who only fought when Ash needed her or she was in troubles. She sighed. Really, she didn't want to fight. The Poochyena before her shared the same DNA, sure. But that was all they had in common. As she had learned many years ago, what was on the outside didn't matter. It was what someone was inside his heart that was really important. This had been the first lesson an old Absol had taught her. And she never forgot it. Besides, the world was large. Why couldn't Mewtwo and his clones find a nice human-free place where they'd spend their old days? Slowly but surely, her body began to shine.

Ash looked in horror at the scene before his eyes. Every Pokémon was caught in a furious fight from which there seemed would be no victor. Thanks to his empathic abilities, he could feel the pain each Pokémon was in. Deprived of their powers and caught in an endless battle, the creatures were desperate. And what made it worse is that they were fighting to protect their Trainers. It was a no-win situation. And they knew it. Mewtwo didn't lie when he said his cloned Pokémon were stronger. Physically speaking, the clones were better. But even then, the originals were powerful in their own rights and this is what was making the fight last: no one could secure a clear victory for his side, not before falling exhausted. The boy closed his eyes and cried. He had to stop it, no matter what. Using his agility, he climbed the building down.

Clefable was fighting her counterpart in a very tight fistfight. Suddenly, something glowing caught her attention. To her greatest surprise, it was Poochyena. And she was evolving. Mewtwo sensed it and turned to the girl. When the light faded, the young and naïve hyena girl was a black and white-furred Mightyena with sharp fangs and claws that was grinning kinda maliciously to her clone … who was still a Poochyena and definitely looked like she knew she was in troubles. Deciding to end the fight before it started, she took the clone in her mouth and put it at the Trainers' side.

"Stay here. And if I see you harming them…"

Poochyena gulped and nodded. Her evolved original was really intimidating. Eevee saw the evolution happen and it gave him an idea. Racing back to Gary, he jumped at his Trainer's side and asked for caresses. Gary looked at the Evolution Pokémon. Eevee was his favorite alongside Blastoise and Arcanice. Who was he to refuse some caresses? What he didn't know and Eevee did is that the Pokémon could evolve from friendship. And this is what he was hoping to do. It worked. Eeveetwo raised an ear at his original's behavior. What had gotten into him? Then he saw the little fur ball shine. Gary did too, just like everyone else. When the light faded, Eevee was now a beautiful and slim Umbreon who immediately tackled his non-evolved clone, glabbed him and put him at Poochyena's side. Turning to Mightyena, he grinned.

"Nice idea you got."

"I didn't ask to evolve." Mightyena retorted. "But I admit it came just at the right time. Do we help them?"

Umbreon nodded.

"They may have the strength, but we have the numbers."

Clefable too seemed to realize that raw strength wasn't the option as she shifted tactics. Indeed, her clone was powerful but there was a thing she didn't have her original did possess: experience. Also, she was using her brawns more than her brain. Clefable grinned and started taking hits. Soon, she was down. Clefabletwo gloated.

"Is that all you've got? You fell surprisingly fast, weakling."

Starlight gave her a side-glance.

"I may be weaker than you do, but I have something else." Her clone had her guard down. To her, victory was in her hand. She was wrong. "My head."

Fast as lightning, the Fairy Pokémon rose and punched her clone in the stomach, hard. Clefabletwo doubled over in pain. A strong blow at the head completely threw her down. Starlight grinned as her counterpart didn't rise.

"Well, who's laughing now?"

Certainly not Tyrogue. The poor creature was totally dominated by his opponent despite his intensive training with Ash. His clone seized him at the throat.

"Why don't you just cry and beg for mercy?"

Tyrogue tried in vain to free himself from his clone's iron grip, in vain. The copy lowered his eyes … and saw the scar that was keeping Tyrogue's voice off.

"What?" He jumped away, surprised by the discovery. "What the … What was that?"

"What keeps him from verbally chewing you like you deserve." A cold voice answered in his back.

Tyroguetwo turned, only to meet with Clefable's jaw-breaking punch.

Umbreon and Mightyena were happy. They had taken Sneaseltwo, Rapidashtwo, Vaporeontwo, Raticatetwo and Kabutopstwo and were going to defeat Venusaurtwo when Ash finally landed. Not thinking twice, Mightyena tackled him and cleaned his face with long and deep licks. Ash laughed.

"Nice, Mightyena, nice! Here, it's okay, I'm back!" Rising, he turned to Silver. "We have to stop this at once! The Pokémon are getting exhausted everywhere!"

Indeed, the two Gyarados were lying down in exhaustion while the two Murkrow were still weakly trying to hit one another. Even Charizard couldn't take that much. Meowth frowned. He and his clone had commonly agreed, after a small heart-to-heart, that fighting one another was a bad thing. After all, they shared the same sky, breathed the same air and lived in the same world. Why would they have to fight? Besides, violence brought nothing but pain. So the two were seating side by side, watching the fight alongside Eeveetwo and Poochyenatwo.

Pikachu was withstanding the assaults of his clone. Pikachutwo was angry, really angry. But his anger was more the result of confusion than real rage.

"Why aren't you fighting?" The clone asked. "Mewtwo told us to fight! Why do you disobey?"

"Because Mewtwo isn't my master. Ash is, and it seems clear to me that he doesn't want to fight. Look at his face! Even I can see the pain in his heart. And as his friend, I don't want to hurt him."

"Friend? Say instead slave!"

Pikachu's ears twitched.

" **I AM NOT ASH'S SLAVE!** " The Pokémon raged. "I am his friend! That's all. Besides, I don't see a reason to fight to the death like that. Violence only brings pain. And I don't know a single living creature, human or Pokémon who wants to live in pain. So no, I won't fight. Because it is pointless."

The clone frowned.

"What do you mean, pointless?"

Pikachu looked around.

"Mewtwo cloned you from me. It means that, deep down inside, we are one and the same, just like twin brothers."

"We aren't brother! We share the same genes! On that regard, I am you and you are me!"

"Is that why you fight?" Pikachu asked the clone. "Because you want to be your own self?"

Pikachutwo looked down.

"…Yes. That's why. I don't care for your Trainer. All I care is for you. As long as you're around, I will never be myself, only a copy of you." He looked at Eeveetwo, Poochyena's clone and Ashling. "They are lucky. Now that their original are different, they can pretend to be someone else."

Pikachu turned to him, a grin on his face.

"You are too."

The clone looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

Pikachu smiled.

"We may be the same in body, but our minds are totally different. Look at how you are inside. Look at how is your heart. I bet Arceus's Zap Plate it won't be like mine at all. If the two of us were exactly the same, we would behave the same way, right?"

Pikachutwo looked down. Right. Maybe his original had a point.

Ash turned to Silver.

"Do you have a flute?"

"Yeah, sure."

The man gave his student a flute shaped in a strange immaculate wood.

"White yew. You only find them in mountain places and they are extremely rare. Tools made in white yew are very precious."

Ash took the flute and started playing. Soon, a soft and soothing song echoed in the arena. Every Pokémon, Mew and Mewtwo included, turned to the origins of the sound. Though it was easy to guess where it came from, the music was so it seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. The sound was filled with peace, hope and faith. It was a song against war and violence, a balm to the pain of the heart, a comforting lullaby for the weary and the hopeless. Mew's eyes widened.

" _Lugia's song! This boy is using it to stop the fighting!_ "

Mewtwo was thunderstruck.

" _Such a beautiful melody! I can't believe a human is playing it!_ "

Then he saw the Pokémon. All, original and clone alike, were turned to Ash, who had his eyes closed. His Aura was surrounding him, enhancing his Healer's powers. In a few seconds, his heart had connected to that of every Pokémon in the area, even the two Legends.

" _Stop fighting! Violence only brings pain! Do you really want to die, wounded and exhausted? Tell me, what are you fighting for? Because Mewtwo ordered it? Mewtwo is blind by the pain and delusion he was a victim of. Even if he created you, his fight isn't yours. You weren't the fooled ones. You weren't the ones who got hurt. Not all humanity is bad. There is good and evil in everyone. In you, in me, in them. And yet, are we fighting one another?_ "

The Pokémon looked at each other, confused. Ash kept asking them.

" _Are you fighting because you want to be your own self? The conditions of one's birth do not determine who he really is. His being depends of his choices and actions. My father is a criminal and I myself am illegitimate. And yet, am I a criminal? Am I a bastard? No. And neither are you. You were cloned from other Pokémon, but that doesn't mean you are those Pokémon. Why? Because Mewtwo copied the DNA only. He didn't duplicate the Pokémon's heart and mind. These things are yours alone. In that regard, you are different. In that regard, you are yourself. And no one else._ "

Now every Pokémon was listening. Mewtwo's breath was short, as he was nearly unable to proceed what the boy was saying.

" _Are you fighting for a place in the world? The world is large. There are plenty of areas where humans do not live and plenty where they do. There is place for everybody to live, grow and develop into what he was meant to be. Don't fight to take someone else's place. Violence only brings pain and no one wants to live in pain. Take instead what is rightfully yours. Everyone has a place where he belongs. I have found mine. My friends have found theirs at my side. What stops you from seizing your chance and find the place your heart is longing for? What stops you from being happy? Not me. And not anyone here but your own blindness. Open your eyes to the world around. Open your heart to the others. You do not have to fight. You never had to._ "

Then he stopped playing. The stadium remained silent for one complete minute before Silver decided to break it.

"… Wow. Just wow."

Arcanine couldn't believe it either.

"No regular human could come up with a speech like that without being inspired by Lord Ho-Oh."

Blastoisetwo frowned.

"The human boy is right. I realize it now. Mewtwo was wrong from the start. We may be clones, but his war isn't ours." He turned to the other clones. "Mewtwo keeps thinking our strength will bring us victory over the humans, but can we really agree after listening to the boy's words? He was singing. And it was his heart, not his mind, who was speaking. If a boy's heart can possess the strength to convince us to turn from our creator, can we still say that our power is more important than our heart?"

Gyaradostwo nodded.

"You are right. This boy spoke of good and evil, of the condition of our birth and of our place in the world. Was any of you waiting for such words from the mouth of a boy with only eleven Springs? I didn't."

Alakazamtwo came at his side.

" _It is evident to me that this human child is special. I read in the humans' mind that there's only a handful of being like him that can manipulate Aura. I also read that he has Ancient ancestry. And even though I am a mere clone, even I know the importance of the Ancients._ "

Ninetalestwo frowned.

"I agree with this boy. Fighting is pointless. I am myself and no one else. I have my own past, my own feelings. I may be born from another, but so is every living." She turned to Mewtwo. "Keep fighting as much as you like, fool. From now on, I choose my own path."

Ash smiled. Mew giggled.

" _Now those were words of wisdom! I don't know what member of the Counsil inspired you, but to turn Mewtwo's clones against him, it sure worked well._ "

"That was nothing." The boy replied. "I just wanted the fighting to stop, that's all. I couldn't stand everyone in such pain."

Mewtwo growled and turned to the boy.

" _You … This is all your fault!_ "

He charged his hands and sent a beam to the kid. Silver saw it too late.

"Ash, watch out!"

Too late. The beam hit the boy head on, mercilessly assaulting and saturating his body with psychic energy. Ash screamed in pain. His body reacted with a burst of Aura to counter the energy. The clashing resulted in the boy's body glowing strangely. When the light faded, Ash was a cold stone statue. Silver froze.

"No…"

Pikachu gulped as he sensed the overflow of pain in the silver haired man's throat. Silver fell on his knees as everyone gasped in horror. Ashling closed his eyes and quickly opened them, panicked.

"I can't feel his Aura anymore!"

Everyone froze, especially the Pokémon. When one's Aura was completely gone, it meant only one thing: this person was dead. Tyrogue seriously gulped and backed up, soon followed by Gary who _didn't_ want to be there when the storm hit the place. Charizard shivered.

"Arceus, please protect us …"

" _He is gone…_ " Mew whined. " _Bad Mewtwo! You have no ideas what you just caused!_ "

Bill looked around, worried.

"What's going on? An' why does it feel like the place suddenly cooled down?"

" _Because it did._ " Alakazam answered. " _Gary knows Silver well and so do I through him. Remember how Silver is not only an Ice Aura Guardian but also a very caring father?_ "

Everyone nodded. Mew came to their side.

" _There's saying in the Counsil that it is safer to attack a baby Kangaskhan in his mother's pouch than a child under Silver's protection. Mewtwo is about to find out why, and even though he turned precious Ash into stone, I feel sorry for him._ "

Indeed, after crying over the boy's cold body, Silver raised his head. Those who saw his face quickly looked for a place to hide. The man's eyes were now pupil-less icy blue and glaring with a rage to rival that of Groudon or Kyogre. Mewtwo backed up instantly. Silver's body covered itself with a frozen Aura as the man rose to his feet. When he spoke, the northern wind blew over the place, herald of the impending punishment that was awaiting the Genetic Pokémon.

(Play [You know my name](https://youtu.be/0p7WZRL6I-8), Chris Cornell)

_If you take a life do you know what you'll give?_   
_Odds are, you won't like what it is._

"Mewtwo, you took my son's life. **_NOW GIVE ME YOURS!_** "

Without a single warning, the Aura Guardian jumped at the Psychic Legendary, his silver blades drawn.

_When the storm arrives, would you be seen with me_   
_By the merciless eyes I've deceived?_

Mewtwo reacted with a Shadow Ball. Silver merely sliced it in two. The Pokémon followed with Psychic, only to see it countered by a burst of ice. Mewtwo closed his eyes and a barrier surrounded him just as Silver reached him. The silver blades tore the defense apart.

_I've seen angels fall from blinding heights_   
_But you yourself are nothing so divine,_   
_Just next in line..._

The two crashed on the ground, Mewtwo using all his strength to keep Silver from tearing him apart. Silver's face was that of a merciless beast.

"You killed my son, you bastard! Why won't you pay the price?"

Mewtwo struggled.

" _What has gotten into you? Was this child really so important you want to kill me to avenge him?_ "

A simple glance at the man gave him the answer. Yes. Yes, Ash meant a lot to Silver. And yes, the man was willing to kill.

_Arm yourself because no-one else here will save you!_   
_The odds will betray you_   
_And I will replace you!_

Mewtwo finally managed to break free. Focusing his powers, he unleashed a powerful Psystrike to Silver who merely protected himself with an Ice Shield.

"Is that all you've got?" The man's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You've got a loud mouth, weakling."

_You can't deny the prize it may never fulfill you!_   
_It longs to kill you!_   
_Are you willing to die?_

Charging his hands with all his power, the man in black held them before him as a runic circle formed around them. Sensing the threat, Mewtwo prepared a massive Shadow Ball to counter Silver's attack.

"Eternal Winter!"

" _Shadow Ball!_ "

_The coldest blood runs through my veins._   
_You know my name._

The burst of ice pierced right through the ghostly sphere and struck Mewtwo, encasing him in a shroud of frost. The Genetic Pokémon focused his mental powers and somehow managed to break free, only to see a black flash rush at him. There was a silver gleam …

(End music)

"Silver, stop right now!"

The blade stopped at an inch of Mewtwo's neck. Rising from his position, Silver slowly turned to see Ho-Oh landing in the middle of the field. The Rainbow Pokémon frowned.

"Silver, in the name of Arceus, calm down."

Silver's eyes narrowed.

"That son of a bitch killed Ash. He _will_ pay."

"You are willing to disobey the Council for revenge?"

"Fuck the Council! I've had enough of playing by the rules all this time! Now the boy I called my son is dead, and it is his fault! He. Has. To. **_PAY!_** "

Ho-Oh spread his wings, lighting the area with his golden halo.

"What is more important to you, Silver Nor Shadow? Your revenge or the life of your people?"

This calmed Silver in one second. Looking down, the man hesitated before answering.

"My… people."

"Exactly. Now leave Mewtwo. I think he learned his lesson for today." The bird looked at the Genetic Pokémon. "Silver isn't someone you want to mess with. I hope you'll remember that." His eyes narrowed. "You will follow me to the Hall of Origins. The Legendary Council wants to see you and maybe even have a word with you."

Still shocked from the beating Silver gave him, Mewtwo simply nodded.

"What about the clones?"

"There's a valley in Johto. It is very hard to reach by any means. They will stay here."

The Pokémon turned to the Trainers.

"We should erase their memories. What happened to that day must be kept secret."

"Don't."

Ho-Oh turned to Simon who was coming his way.

"I think we have to remember. What happened today may be horrible. Heck, I even lost my younger brother! But we have to remember. Remember and learn our lesson from the events."

"What tells us you will keep your mouth shut?" Ho-Oh asked. "The rest of the world must remain oblivious of the incident that occurred in this place."

Simon closed his eyes.

"I swear on the Creator that I will never say a word about this."

"Me too!" Misty and Brock nodded.

"And I!" Neesha added.

"I ain't gonna say anything about dat mess." Bill grinned. "Da folks woud call me a fool."

"You have my word too." Corey nodded.

"And mine!" Fergus grinned.

Gary closed his eyes.

"I won't reveal anything too, but I have a condition." Ho-Oh raised a brow. "Bring Ash back to life. He convinced the clones to stop fighting and stood against Mewtwo until the end. He doesn't deserve to remain petrified."

The Legendary grinned.

"Do not worry. I was planning on resurrecting him anyway."

(Auto-translator: OFF)

He touched the boy's body with his beak. Soon, a golden edging consumed the stone, turning it back into flesh and tissue. Pikachu jumped in his Trainer's arms as Ash's eyes fluttered.

"What… happened?"

He turned to see Ho-Oh smiling upon him.

"Ho-Oh? Why are you here? And what happened? Mewtwo hit me with a beam and then, everything went black."

Tyrogue came to his side.

(Mewtwo turned you into stone. Silver didn't like it so the two fought. Silver was about to kill Mewtwo when Ho-Oh stopped him. It took him some time to calm down but he eventually left and Ho-Oh decided to take Mewtwo before the Council.)

The boy looked down.

"I see. Where is he now? He must be depressed."

(He left to the edge of the island. I think he's crying.)

Ash nodded. Using his Aura, he found his mentor by the water front. Indeed, Silver was sobbing heavily, his body curled and his head on his knees. Too caught in his pain, he didn't hear his precious son by heart sneaking in his back. However, when Ash caught him in his arms and nested his head in the hollow of his neck, his whole body tensed. Ash felt the man's Aura slowly approaching his, nearly unable to proceed what was happening. Then Silver placed a hand on the boy's.

"You are alive…"

Ash softly nodded.

"Yes, thanks to Ho-Oh. The Council is going to judge Mewtwo for his actions so you don't have to worry about payback. As for the clones, they will be sent away in Johto."

Silver breathed in sharply. Then, in a swift move, he turned and gave the boy a bone-crushing hug.

"I really, really thought I had lost you."

The two stayed like that for several minutes, Ash communicating his calm and appeasement to his 'father' while Silver simply enjoyed holding his 'son' in his arms, a son he thought was dead for good. When they returned, everybody was ready to leave. Ash turned to his clone.

"What will you do?"

"Someone needs to watch over the clones in Mewtwo's absence. Thanks to my Aura, I have powers similar to his. I will take his role until he returns."

"Understood. See you again!"

Poochyenatwo came to the boy and whined. Tyrogue grinned.

(She wants to go with you.)

Ash nodded.

"Alright. Mom is someone very kind and gentle. She'll take care of you."

The clone girl whelped in joy. Finally, the boy turned to Pikachutwo.

"Pikachu told me about your argument. Here, I have something for you." Taking his badge case, he took the Thunder Stone and held it to the clone. "This stone will make you evolve into Raichu, Pikachu's evolved form. Pikachu doesn't want to evolve so it's not like he's gonna need it anyway. Well?"

The clone raised his ears in surprise but finally accepted. Grinning, he took the evolutionary jewel, causing his body to morph and gain a bigger orange body, as well as a longer tail. As a giveaway he wasn't like the other Raichu, the curl at the bottom-most point of his ears was replaced by a lightning bolt. The Pokémon looked at his body in appreciation.

"Chu…" (Nice…)

The group nodded. Pikachutwo's issues were resolved. Suddenly, a sound came from Ash's bag. The boy immediately knew what it was.

"The egg!"

Opening his backpack, the boy took the precious item and held it in his arms. The shell cracked to reveal tiny claws, a dark green protrusion and finally a very cute dragon head with two big red eyes. Neesha chuckled.

"It's so cute!"

Ash took away the remains of the shell, revealing the baby Dragon Pokémon in all his childish splendor. The creature looked at him with his big eyes. Two tiny pointed tusks could be seen emerging from the sides of his mouth.

"Axew?"

Ash raised a brow.

"Axew?"

Getting a response, the creature clapped his hands, chanting 'Axew!' 'Axew!' 'Axew!' like a baby would. The boy instantly felt his heart melt. He turned to his mentor for explanation. Silver grinned.

"This is an Axew, a Dragon Pokémon usually found in Unova. Axew are childish and innocent, but their evolved forms are among the most powerful non-legendary Dragon Pokémon. This one is a male."

Ash looked at the baby, who had fallen asleep in his arms.

"I'll take care of him. I promise. But first, I'd like to give him a True Name…"

" _This isn't something you can do._ " Ho-Oh warned.

"I know. Only wild Pokémon have a True Name." He turned to his partners. "I can't name him, but they can."

Mightyena looked deeply at the baby Dragon and sniffed him before yelping. Clefable translated in sign language. Ash grinned.

"That's cute."

Little Axew would be called Baby Tooth.


	25. The tournament begins

It's my turn to fly.  
I'm proving ground tonight.  
Try to be the best that I can …  
Grown to be a man,  
Only human can understand.  
I fill my lungs with fear and I exhale!

It's my turn to fly!  
Father be with me tonight.  
I'm right on target (keep your dream alive) …  
It's my turn to fly!  
Gotta prove this tonight …  
[It's my turn to fly](https://youtu.be/xcnF1ioaBr4), The Urge

Delia was very happy when Ash presented her with the little Poochyena clone. Now called Nina, Mightyena's 'little sister' of sorts quickly grew attached to her new master. Ash's mother was indeed a kind and friendly person, yet also a particularly fierce fighter when she felt her home and family threatened. The woman wasn't an ex-Rocket scientist for nothing …

The tale of the events on New Island was quickly known to all of Ash's Pokémon friends. When they realized how close their Trainer had been from definite death, they decided to do something for him. This thing was to give their Trainer their True Name. All. Without a single exception. Ash was deeply touched by the act. Knowing a Pokémon's True Name meant knowing his real identity. It was an honor only a chosen few were granted. Pidgeot's name was Jet Stream. Charizard, who had been given one by Ho-Oh, was called Blazefire. Wartortle, who was still born in the wild despite being a Starter, was called Azure Blast. Haunter's name was Shadow Grin. Tyrogue had the fitting name of Silent Hope. Mightyena bore the sweet name of Nightsong while Wigglytuff was called Soft Lullaby. No wonder her Sing would put everyone to sleep … While Aerodactyl was rightfully called Razor Fangs, Sandslash's name was Sandy Claws. Finally, Fearow had the name of Hard Beak. And he deserved it.

After a one-day break at a Pokémon-only vacation park, the group finally stepped on the road to the Indigo Plateau. Along with Pikachu and his baby Axew, Ash had taken Mightyena, Haunter, Bulbasaur, Pidgeot and Charizard. Professor Oak, after a long and heated argument and some good Growlithe eyes from the tiny Dragon Pokémon, had finally accepted to make an exception to the six-member team since Axew was still a baby, and as such not a fighter. Thanks to Pidgeot and Odin, Ash, Silver, Misty, Brock and Simon quickly reached the village where the fabled Victory Road started. Here, Silver grinned.

"From here on, we're going by foot."

"Why?" Misty asked.

"Because it is a tradition for League Competitors to travel this path by foot. And because of this…"

The group looked around. On the sides of the path were people gathered with League flags. They seemed to be waiting for someone who was quite quick to come. It was a brown-haired man dressed like a marathon racer, a Hitmonchan running at his side. Police officers were behind him and a torch was in his hand. Brock frowned.

"Isn't that the Sacred Torch holding Moltres's fire?"

"It is." Silver smiled.

Ash closed his eyes.

"If I remember the tale, the flame of the torch was once granted by Moltres as a symbol of peace between humankind and Pokémon, right?"

"Yes. In Johto, they replace it with flames from Ho-Oh, another Legendary. In Kanto, it's Moltres." He looked at the passing man. "Actually, the Torch is carried from Moltres's altar all the way to the League Stadium where the flame will be lit as a signal the Conference has begun. In other words, it's quite a trip."

Misty smiled.

"It must be a very special honor to have to carry the Torch all the way to the Stadium."

"Yes. Only a chosen few ever earn this right."

The Torch Bearer was passing under the cheers of the crowd when the flame violently flickered when it passed by Ash. The man and his Hitmonchan didn't miss it, nor did the man atop the van. The convoy stopped, causing the group to frown.

"What's happening?"

The Bearer came to Ash, only for the flame to dance more violently. The man atop the van nodded.

"If my eyes aren't mistaken, it is indeed a sign of Moltres."

He got down the vehicle under the careful eye of Officer Jenny. Simon raised a brow.

"Who's that guy?"

"I am Charles Goodshow, son. I am the President of the Pokémon League Committee. And if my eyes do not fool me, this man in black is Silver Nor Shadow, one of the very few Elemental Aura Guardians and a man with quite a reputation …"

Silver quickly stepped back.

"The flame didn't flicker for me. I have nothing to do with it."

"Indeed. Can I know who your companions are?"

Silver grinned.

"Ask them yourself, old man."

Simon rolled his eyes.

"I am Simon Ketchum."

"Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town." The boy smiled. "Simon is my half-brother."

"Misty Williams, from Cerulean City. I'm a Water specialist."

"Brock Harrison, from Pewter City. I'm a Breeder."

Goodshow looked at the group.

"What a strange crew. And what strange Pokémon too. A Pikachu, a Togepi and a…"

"Axew." Ash answered. "He hatched recently so he doesn't count as a team member. Same goes for Togepi."

Axew had snuggled against his adoptive father, nervous. The boy comforted him softly. Silver grinned.

"Actually, Ash and Simon are Aura Guardians. Ash is way stronger than his brother, though."

This caused Goodshow to raise a brow.

"Aura Guardians? These kids… can actually use Aura?"

The two siblings looked at one another and grinned. In the same gesture, they summoned an Aura Sphere. The elder man was dumbfounded.

"This is… incredible!"

The flame flickered, bringing everyone back to the main topic. Jenny frowned.

"The flame seems to react violently to one of you. I wonder why."

Silver frowned.

"This flame is a gift of Moltres, which is a Legendary Pokémon. Maybe it's a sign."

Acting on impulse, Ash took the torch. The fire inside burned stronger, causing everyone to back up. Goodshow nodded.

"It seems Moltres has chosen this young boy to carry the torch. May we?"

Seeing his younger brother's embarrassment, Simon playfully elbowed him.

"Look sharp."

"I'd like to…"

Ash was given a League shirt and the Torch. Then, after entrusting Axew to Mightyena, he started running while the rest of the group was allowed in the van. He quickly started thanking his morning routines and the long stamina races he made with his mentor. Using Aura to keep himself going, a trick he learned during his time with Bruno, he managed to run along the long mountain path that led to the plateau.

"Victory Road… now that's a challenging path."

He was nearing the top of the road when the ground suddenly opened. The boy only managed to get out thanks to his Aura-enhanced reflexes. Lunging forward, he managed to cross the rift to safety. The van, however, didn't make it. Ash looked around as Pikachu's cheeks sparkled and Mightyena bared her fangs, ready to attack. This incident definitely wasn't a coincidence.

"Who's there?" He growled, an Aura Sphere ready.

A sinister laugh answered him.

"I knew you would avoid the trap." A voice said.

Coming from behind rocks, two men and a woman wearing dark uniforms appeared. The big red R on their chest instantly betrayed their identity.

"Rocket Rebels!"

"Indeed we are. Now hand over the torch."

Ash snarled.

"Come and get it!"

The woman smirked.

"Of course, we will. But first … Vileplume, Stun Spore!"

A rafflesia-like Pokémon appeared and hurled a cloud of paralyzing powder to the entire group. Ash coughed under it, wincing as his muscles tightened. His Pokémon weren't doing any better. The boy cast a quick glance to Axew, to make sure the baby wasn't in too much pain. A Beedrill used the distraction to snatch the torch. The man grinned.

"Thank you very much. Lord Archer will be very pleased."

"Think so?"

The group almost gasped at the familiar voice. Then two attacks fell at the same time.

"Lickitung, Ice Beam!"

"Growlie, Flamethrower!"

While Beedrill was incinerated by a burst of fire, Vileplume was frozen by a bluish laser. The Torch flew, only for a cat-like figure to jump and catch it in midair. Ash cheered.

"Jessie! James! Meowth!"

Indeed, the Rocket trio was over-watching the scene, a smirk on their face.

**_Prepare for trouble!_ **   
**_And make it double!_ **   
**_To protect the world from devastation,_ **   
**_To unite all people within our nation,_ **   
**_To denounce the evils of traitors and liars,_ **   
**_To extend our reach to the moon and the stars,_ **   
**_Jessie!_ **   
**_James!_ **   
**_Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!_ **   
**_Surrender now or prepare to fight!_ **   
**_Meowth, that's right!_ **

The three Rebels froze.

"What? Team Rocket is there?"

Ash was never so happy to see the men in white. Then a purple cobra appeared before him and sprayed a liquid on him. The paralysis disappeared instantly. His grin widened. The motto was a distraction so Jessie's Arbok could free him and his friends! The group had gotten better. Arbok sprayed the fluid on Pikachu, Mightyena, Axew and the others. Reacting on the spot, the boy created an Aura Sphere.

"Hey, look over there!"

The three men in black turned… and received the attack straight in the face. The blow was immediately followed with Mightyena's Shadow Ball and Pikachu's Electro-Ball. The combined attacks sent the three blasting much like the Rocket Trio used to do at the beginning. James whistled.

"Glad it's not us, for once."

Meowth jumped from where he was and handed the boy the Torch back. Ash gladly accepted it.

"Thank you. You came just in time."

"You're welcome. The boss would kill us if we let anything bad happen to his precious sons."

"He sure would." Simon sighed.

Officer Jenny raised a brow.

"What does that mean? Why are Rocket members attacking each other?"

"Because Team Rocket is divided." Silver explained. "On one side, we have the original Team Rocket led by Giovanni. As you may have guessed from the little exchange, Ash and Simon are the man's two sons. However, none of them like him, as proved when Simon used Ash's family name rather than his own."

"But if Ash is Giovanni's son…" Goodshow asked. "How comes his last name is Ketchum?"

"Because he isn't legitimate. As sad as it sounds, Ash is the result of a one-night stand. And his official father pretty much abandoned him and Delia when he found out the truth. As such, the kid has three fathers: one by blood, one by law and another by heart, me. Also, it means he and Simon are only half-siblings since they only share their father. Doesn't mean they are fiercely protective of one another. And as stated by Meowth, the fact that none of his sons love him doesn't mean Giovanni doesn't care about them. In fact, knowing the boss, he's pretty caring toward them. He even gave Ash his Sandshrew after the kid won his last badge. Being evil doesn't mean you can't have loved ones …"

Officer Jenny could barely believe it.

"I should arrest them to get to Giovanni, but since they just helped them, I guess I can close my eyes for once."

"You can and you will." Silver frowned. "Hurt one hair of these kids and Giovanni will be the last of your problems."

Misty froze, remembering all too well the blinding fury with which Silver had trashed Mewtwo. If Ho-Oh didn't stop him … Goodshow looked at him.

"How about those men in black?"

"They are the Rocket Rebels, a faction that separated from Team Rocket because of an argument between Giovanni and four of his sub-leaders. These men were Archer, Ariana, Proton and Petrel. Those four are more violent than the actual Team Rocket and, even though they call themselves Neo-Team Rocket, everyone simply calls them the rebels. They are an even greater threat than the original R."

The policewoman nodded.

"So it means we should beware of them more than the Rocket in white."

"So very much."

Simon looked at the trio.

"What are you doing here?"

"The boss sent us to make sure the Rebels didn't interfere with the event. If they ever did, we had to stop them, which is exactly what happened." Jessie explained.

Goodshow smiled.

"It seems working for evil's sake doesn't mean one has to be truly evil inside. Come in."

The three gladly got aboard the van. After the attack, everyone was on the lookout as Ash was running the road. After a while, Simon tried to relay him but the Torch reacted quite violently, earning the redhead a few burns. It seemed Moltres only wanted Ash as his bearer. So the poor kid was forced to carry the flame all the way to the stadium. He did it … and never stopped once until he reached the finishing line and gave the torch back to Goodshow. Needless to say he was really out of breath after that, falling on his knees as soon as the flame was no more in his hands.

"With all due respect I have for Legendaries and in particular Legendaries who clearly choose me to do a certain task, I still have one thing to say: why did you put me through this, Moltres?!"

Silver rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Trainers are given personal living spaces for the duration of the Conference. Let's get ours."

"Can't move a muscle."

"Not a problem."

Removing his cape, the man took the kid piggyback-style, much to Ash's pleasure. They quickly reached the building and settled here, after what they decided to explore the village. Ash was riding Blitz since his legs were too painful to move. They saw the shops, the Trainers, their families that had come to encourage them… A snigger made the raven-haired boy freeze.

"Well, if it isn't Ashie-boy! Late as always, I see."

The boy couldn't help but hang his head.

"Gary Oak."

The brown kid smirked arrogantly.

"Took you long enough to come. I thought that, after the last events, you would've given on your dream as a Trainer…"

Ash's eyes narrowed.

"I will never give up. And if I do, it will be to become an Aura Guardian."

Gary sighed.

"You should stop being so stubborn. Remember where it got you last time…"

Ash frowned. Pushing Blitz next to his rival, he bent to his ear.

"We have promised Ho-Oh and Mewtwo not to talk about it in public areas in exchange for keeping our memories. Have you forgotten that? And besides, had I done nothing, you would be dead along your Pokémon." His voice became cold. "I don't wanna boast, but when it appears Legendaries have a liking into you, especially one like Ho-Oh, it usually means you're on the right path. So no, I'm not giving up. "He then looked straight into Gary's eyes. "You should be the one to drop. With an attitude like that, you won't go far. I don't need to be an Elite to know that."

On this, he left. Along the way, the group was reunited with Bill, Fergus, Corey and Neesha. The four were also part of the Conference and would compete tomorrow. After some greetings, they started talking.

"My Pokémon're all pumped up!" Fergus grinned. "Whatever comes our way tomorrow, I'll crush it! My beloved Gyarados will happily blast them to oblivion!"

"You sure look ready." Neesha grinned. "My Pokémon and I worked very hard for this competition. Let's hope it… doesn't… turn as bad as that time."

"No need to worry." Misty smiled. "We're all ready if something bad happens. Besides …"

She told them the events with the Torch. Bill was impressed.

"So Ash had ta run da entire Victory Road simply 'cuz the Torch wud be carried by no one else? Man, dat had t'be tough."

"I still can't move my legs." The boy sighed. "Damn Moltres…"

Corey laughed.

"You should feel honored. I don't remember anything similar happen in the past, and it's the third time I'm entering the Conference."

"Really?"

They talked about how the competition worked, what were the rules and so on. Neesha turned to Axew.

"Now that I think of it, your little baby Axew looks fine. How is he doing?"

"Ask Mightyena, she's become his surrogate mother. Instant adoption. It doesn't matter they belong to different egg groups. To Night, Axew is her baby and she'll be damned if she lets a single scratch hurt his scales."

"Night?"

"Mightyena's nickname. Ever heard of 'True Names'?"

"Never."

"Well, listen closely…"

The boy explained shortly what a Pokémon's True Name was about and how it worked. Bill sighed.

"I wish I knew Fearow's True Name. Da boy is my greatest partner. Best pal ever."

Fergus frowned.

"Now that I think of it, no long after the incident, Gyarados started to behave strangely. It was as if he wanted to tell me something, but I simply couldn't get it. It almost drove me mad …"

Ash looked at him.

"Maybe I can try, or Silver can ask Lya to translate Gyarados's speech."

They went to a pond and Fergus released Gyarados.

"Gya, no long ago, you tried to tell me something. What did you mean back then?"

The blue sea serpent pointed to himself with his tail, then to a nearby waterfall. He repeated the action several times before looking insistently at his Trainer. Fergus looked puzzled.

"I still don't get it. What does he want with that waterfall?"

Ash came to the creature and placed a hand on his head. Closing his eyes, he used his lessons with Lance to reach the Pokémon's heart… and immediately understood. Reaching for the Water specialist's ear, he muttered something. The man's eyes shone.

"So that's what you wanted to tell me. I'm sorry I didn't understand earlier. Nice name."

Waterfall was Gyarados's True Name. Night finally fell, and with it dreams of ferocious fights, well-earned victories and big feisty parties with tables full of delicious food … Still. In the morning, while some were very excited to finally start fighting, other wished they could sleep a little longer. Everyone woke up, though. After all, the Conference Torch was about to be lit and no one wanted to miss that.

The main stadium was crowded that morning. At least half of Kanto had come to see the event, the other watching it en live on TV. In the commentary box, a man wearing an orange suit appeared.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and you Pokémon fans! I am Johnny O'Martian, and I will comment this wonderful event for you!"

The crowd cheered. The man chuckled.

"Save your voice, my friends! The best has yet to come! First, I have to remind you the rules of the Indigo Conference. The event lasts a week. The first two days are dedicated to eliminatory phases. Yes, eliminatory! There are so many good Trainers this year. We cannot go to the qualifying rounds yet! What are eliminatory rounds? A set of eight single battles, one vs. one on a simple battlefield. There are four battles per day so to quickly get rid of the weakest links. But fear not. Sometimes, eliminatory battles can be pretty fierce and amazing!"

Inside the building, Ash was listening intensely. It was his first Conference so he was understandably nervous. Axew sensed it and whined, earning a light scratch.

"Don't worry, Baby Tooth." The boy muttered. "It will go fine… I hope."

Johnny kept speaking.

"The two following days will be the famous qualifying rounds. Those battles are single three vs. three on one of those four grounds: ice, water, grass and rock fields. There will be two battles per day, so four battles for the qualifiers. The next three days will be the finales. One fight will happen each day until the winner is decided. Those fights will be all-out six vs. six battles in the main stadium, under the flame of the mighty Moltres. Now, ladies and gentlemen, let's give a steering applause for the courageous Trainers who have entered the event!"

The door finally opened to a blinding sun. The Trainers stepped in line and entered the arena under the cheers and whistles of the crowd as Pidgey flew in the air. Ash grinned. Today was a nice day. In his box, Johnny was jumping up and down.

" **HERE THEY ARE!** Who do we have here, my friends? Oh, I see some celebrities! The Amazing Mandi from Saffron City, known for his many tricks! There's also the beautiful Jeanette Fisher from Celadon City! I heard she was one of Erika's best students… Oh? Isn't that Corey from Vermillion City? This man is known to be a fierce opponent who keeps his cool in any situation… wait, wait, wait! Forget Corey, I see Gary Oak among the crowd! Yes ladies, your all-time favorite is here! Oak's grandson is here to give us a magnificent spectacle as always! Eh, let's not forget he holds the record for greatest number of badges and Pokémon caught in one season with eleven badges and 250 Pokémon! Genius indeed."

Gary raised his head arrogantly as people turned to him with respect. Ash frowned and lowered his cap. He scanned the bleachers for his friend and saw them around Goodshow. His eyes met with Simon's silver ones. A wink from his elder sibling was enough to bring a smile on his face.

"I also see A. J., one of the deadliest contestants of this competition. Rumor has it he won all of his battles using only one Pokémon, even the Gym Battles. I wonder if he will pull the same performance at the Conference."

Ash turned to see the green-haired boy walking aside his Sandshrew, now a Sandslash. He frowned. The only time they fought, A. J. had beaten him with only Sandshrew, only for Silver to avenge his student by humiliating the boy and telling him he hated people like him. Never known defeat? Wrong. There was one person that had beaten the teen: Ash's mentor. A. J. saw Ash and waved. The boy reluctantly returned the move when Johnny spoke.

"Ooooh! And what do we have here? Ladies and gentlemen, I see Ash Ketchum among the contestants! Yes, that Ash Ketchum! The youngest Trainer to have challenged and won against the Eight Challenges, as well as the only participating Trainer to have defeated a Legendary Pokémon! Yes, he did! I heard it was a Zapdos…"

Rumors ran and ran among the crowd as the boy's feat was carried like dust in the wind. The Torch Bearer finally arrived and climbed the stairs where he lit the giant bowl. The crowd cheered … and gasped when the flames, instead of remaining quiet, rose and danced to take the shape of a giant firebird. Silver's eyes widened.

"Moltres!"

Lightning cracked from the electric devices, gathered in a bright golden flash, and faded to reveal a black and yellow bird. Goodshow shivered.

"Zapdos!"

The air cooled down and clouds gathered. A blue Aura swirled inside them and burst to reveal a magnificent and graceful blue bird. Johnny O'Martian barely whispered.

"Articuno… Ladies and gentlemen, this is amazing! The Legendary Bird Trio has appeared!"

The three mystic creatures landed in front of the torch and scanned the Trainers one by one. Articuno's eyes stopped on Gary. Something passed in Oak's grandson, causing him to come to the top and face the bird. Zapdos's eyes fell on A. J. who felt something similar and came to the Legendary. Finally, Moltres starred intensely at Ash who immediately understood and went to the bird. The eyes of the three creatures glowed as the crowd held its breath. What was going to happen? What did the three Legendaries want? No one knew. The light faded to reveal three sigils. Articuno's sigil was silver with a sapphire eight-branched star and diamond wisps around. Gary held it with respect, fascinated by it beauty. Zapdos's emblem was golden with three lightning bolts in quartz citrine. A. J. grinned and put it on his shirt, full of pride. Moltres's sigil was made of bronze and cooper with a ruby and garnet flame. Ash held it in reverence and looked at the fire bird, asking for answer. The answer echoed through the air.

_Three Trainers, three Chosen by the heralds of the Lord of the Sea, the protector of Kanto. By Lugia we were sent, to give his blessing to this competition that sees the cream of the crop of Kanto's Trainers gathered. Three stand out of those greats._

_Cold and calculating mind, and yet charming and classy. Gary Oak, grandson of Samuel Oak, is chosen by the lord of Winter._

_Quick as lightning, flashes bright and leaves a mark. Adam Jagden, the lone Trainer, is chosen by the harbinger of Spring._

_Burning spirit, warm heart and a wild passion. Ash Ketchum, Wielder of Aura and heir of Sir Aaron the Great is chosen by the guardian of Summer._

_Three Chosen by the children of Lugia. These sigils are our emblems. You will represent us through the competition. Make us proud._

On this, the three disappeared. The crowd was speechless for a minute. Then they turned to the three teens atop the stairway. Gary was grinning victoriously, holding his sigil with pride. A. J. was wearing his sigil on his bombed chest, arrogantly smiling. Finally, Ash was still looking at the jewel in his hand. He looked at the sky and smiled.

"Moltres, thank you."

He put the sigil on his chest, his face more serene than it was before. Then, as a ghost from the past, the face of Sir Aaron placed itself on top of his inheritor like a foreshadowing of what the boy would become. Goodshow left his place and went before the three boys, a micro in his hands.

"Well, I guess nothing else needs to be said. Ladies and gentlemen, on this incredible feat, let the tournament begin!"


	26. First rounds, first victories

Everybody wants to be a Master,  
Everybody wants to show their skills,  
Everybody wants to get there faster,  
Make their way to the top of the hill!

Each time you try, gonna get just a little bit better!  
Each step you climb is one more step up the ladder …  
[Pokémon Johto Journeys](https://youtu.be/OYbDnixcYDE), Pokémon opening theme

The white wyvern flew to one of the many entrances of the Palace of Origins. This entrance looked like a Renaissance peristylum with its many columns cut in white marble veined with black and pink, its alabaster statues of various Pokémon and the sea green and arched ceiling highlighted with gold. In a glowing white light, the Pokémon turned into a tall human with deep purple eyeliner, a sad yet serene face, long white hairs and heavy silky robes in the style of an old Chinese emperor. On the front of the robes was a silver tabard outlined with the same deep purple as the eyeliner and covered with glyph-like patterns. Silent as a shadow, the man walked along the corridor until he reached a room filled with works of art representing the Tower Duo and the Legendary Birds and Beasts. The Hall of Sea and Sky, this was the name of the place and the man's living area when not in the depths of the sea. Another man was present, clad in a light red and golden feathered armor. His hairs were a dark shade of red and, when he turned to see the newcomer, his eyes were golden in opposition to the white mage's deep blue ones.

"Back to the Palace so soon, Ouranos? It's not often that you come to visit."

Ouranos's eyes narrowed.

"And you should visit your own temple more often, Helios. I came here to watch the League."

Helios grinned.

"Ah yes, the famous Indigo League. I heard there was a set of particularly promising Trainers this year …"

Ouranos half-smiled.

"Your Chosen is among them, you know?"

Helios's eyes widened.

"Ash? The kid went that far?"

"With a mentor like Silver, I am surprised he didn't go even further. But at the same time, he went through a lot. Charizard's rebellion, the Mewtwo Incident… I heard you had to interfere yourself on that one..."

"Yeah. Mewtwo had petrified Ash in anger and Silver was out for his head. That moron…"

"Who? Mewtwo or Silver?"

"Mewtwo. Silver is already dangerous as he is, there's really no needs to provoke him by petrifying the boy he calls his son. There's a reason we keep him on a tight leash, by Arceus! A chance I am the Ho-Oh that sieges at the Council..."

Ouranos sighed. Indeed, there were several Ho-Oh across the world but they were rare and had the rank of Legendaries. Helios was the oldest of them and as such, he sat in the Legendary Council as a representative of his kind. The same way, Ouranos was the oldest Lugia and a Council member alongside his crimson cousin. As for his siblings, Ouranos had a younger brother and sister, Zephyr and Artemis. Artemis had recently laid an egg so her brother had gone to pay her a visit. He sighed.

"Not many of us carry Silver in their heart. The Space-Time twins are openly against him and are the ones that keep him the closest in check. And let's not talk about Groudon. He utterly _hates him!_ "

Ho-Oh looked at his counterpart.

"Ouranos, are you forgetting the range of Silver's powers? That man in a freaking Ancient! An Ancient with the power of a Ruler!"

"Not anymore."

"Not anymore? Don't be kidding! The Heart and Soul Flutes, the Legendary Weapons, the Mirror of Truth, the World-Disk! How do you call these things? Toys?"

The glare the human Lugia sent him was icy.

"And I ask you, when was it that he last forged a wonder like these? One hundred years? A thousand? Silver may be an Ancient, but his powers are but a shadow of what they once were. In the past, he could freeze entire continents. Today, he can barely stand against Rayquaza..."

Helios lowered his head. Right, Lugia liked Silver quite a bit. Choosing to change subject, he walked to the Meeting Hall.

"Talking about something else, any reason behind the sending of the Birds to the Indigo League?"

"Not a single one." Ouranos chuckled. "There were just so many good Trainers! I wanted to make the event more interesting."

"By having your heralds choose the three best?"

"Helios, you make yourself known in Kanto all the time. I admit I prefer the Orange Islands because of the sea, but it doesn't mean I can't make myself known from times to times in Kanto. Besides, the Legendary Birds are the three main Kanto legendaries. You, I and the Beasts are only accounted in Johto, though I heard they want to fusion the two Pokédexes." The creature looked down. "All of this to say I only sent the Birds to make the competition a little funnier. As the humans would say: 'For the fun'."

Ho-Oh held a chuckle. They had reached the Meeting Hall, the core of the Palace of Origins and its beating heart. A ring-shaped table was in the middle, right under a dome that made the basin at the core of the table spark with a thousand lights. Curtains of various colors were catching the sun's rays and a silver disk made of a plate and an outer ring was in the back of the room, right behind a magnificent throne. The plate was covered with ten symbols while the outer ring had exactly seventeen. Lugia paused to admire the wonder that was the World-Disk.

"Silver… Eons ago, you crafted this artifact as a proof the Ancients came in peace and repay the damages your coming had done to this world. And in exchange we bound you with chains and made you our slave. No wonder you are but a shadow of your former self."

Darkrai looked at him. In human form, the Nightmare Pokémon was clad in a full-dark outfit with a crimson scarf, blue eyes and wavy white hairs.

"You have finally come, Ouranos. The competition has already started."

"How is Ash doing, Seth?" Ho-Oh asked.

Seth grinned.

"See for yourself. You chose him well, I have to say."

"I didn't choose him. The Golden Heart and Silver Soul are randomly inherited by people. Not even Lord Arceus decides on this matter."

Mewtwo, still a Pokémon, was sitting at the table, engaged in a conversation with Cresselia. Darkrai's opposite was a wonder to behold. Clad in ethereal pink, yellow and blue robes that whispered to her every moves, her crescent-shaped platinum hairs has an eerie glow and her immaculate eyes emitted a soothing light. Her spotless face has a peachy touch and her voice was a melody, even though she wasn't singing.

"Isis, aren't you enjoying the show?" Reshiram asked.

The Psychic Pokémon turned to him.

"I do, Ra. It actually provides me with nice dreams to inspire to those who wish to become Trainers."

In the air, Mew was playing tag with Celebi and Victini in Pokémon form. Next to the throne, the Space-Time twins were watching the scene.

"Titania, Bast, Durga, please be quiet!"

The three froze and immediately went hiding to Cresselia.

"Fear not, children. Our rulers are short-tempered, but there is nothing to fear about."

Mew turned into a human girl with a cat headband, a short pink dress, pink hairs, and high stripped socks with high-heeled pink boots.

"They are scary, Isis."

"I know, Bast. I know, little cat-girl."

Celebi-Titania and Victini-Durga also took a human shape. Seth smiled as he saw the time-travelling creature sit next to Bast on Cresselia's knees. Like her two friends, Celebi was dressed in a short white dress with grass motives. She had jade ballet shoes and pale green hairs tied in a ponytail with two clover hairpins. Victini chose to sit on the table and watch the show. Her dress was white with orange flame motives, she had two golden wristbands, a golden diadem with a cooper V and red neck-long curly hairs. Her feet were trapped in golden Spartan sandals. She turned to Ho-Oh.

"Which one you chose, already?"

Helios grinned.

"The boy with the Pikachu around him."

They all sat and watched the show. In a small arena, A. J. was facing a girl with a Hypno. His Sandslash's Night Slash made short work of the Psychic Pokémon, earning him a place in round two. In another one, Gary had won with his Rapidash using Fire Blast against a Golduck. Finally, Ash was fighting with Tyrogue against a Persian he easily defeated with a Rock Smash in the head. The Legendaries grinned.

"Yep, that kid is good. But the other two aren't pushover either."

"His mentor is Silver." Lugia shrugged. "With a mentor like this one… Besides, I like the kid. He's a good kid, very respectful of us. I saved his and Silver's life once."

Ho-Oh turned to him.

"You like him, you like him… As the Golden Heart, he is my load. I found him, I watch him. What about you? Found the Silver Soul yet?"

"Indeed. He and Ash have roughly the same age. And just like his counterpart, the boy has no father. The man died recently in an accident I find quite suspicious. Anyway, he hasn't started his journey yet. Not only does he hate travelling around due to his poor sense of direction but he is also fiercely protective toward his younger sister, who is too young to travel yet. And it's a shame because he has a huge potential as a Trainer and has latent Aura Powers. Well, wait and see. I asked Zephyr to watch over him since he lives around the area."

"Which just happens to be a total hell of a place." Ho-Oh growled. "Two years ago, a trio of Beasts was captured in this damn desert. A chance someone was here to save 'em."

Lugia grinned and tapped his shoulder softly. Indeed, if there was one place that could be considered the world's hellhole, it was this region on the other side of the ocean. A desert... with more thugs by square-meter than policemen.

Soft footsteps echoed on the grass. The smell of smoke rippled in the air. A warm panting breath gave tempo to the mad race until rider and mount reached their goal.

"The Indigo Plateau..." Blaine grinned. "I hope we aren't too late, Entei."

The Legendary softly meowed. Space shivered at his side and a woman clad in a pink dress with dark purple spandex appeared, a Gengar and Alakazam with her.

"You too, Blaine?"

"Me too, Sabrina. I wonder how things went for Ash."

The round of tires was heard and Surge appeared in a huge army car.

"Heya, fellas. Ready to be going?"

The two smiled. Entei jumped, Sabrina disappeared and Surge's car revved. Down the valley, Ash was complementing Tyrogue for his job.

"That was well-done, Tyrogue. The way you handled that Persian was incredible, even for my standards. Your parents will be proud."

Tyrogue gladly nodded.

"Indeed he has. It makes me wonder why he hasn't evolved yet."

Ash jumped and turned to see the colossal figure of Giovanni. His Persian was at his side. Rising, the boy acknowledged the man with a nod. Despite being his father, the man was a criminal and an enemy... except when he wasn't, like here.

"Why are you here, Giovanni?" Ash coldly asked.

The boss shrugged.

"Any father would want to see his son participate a competition as prestigious as a League. Do not worry, Ash. You know I cannot do you or Simon harm."

Ash clenched his fist. The air shivered and Sabrina appeared.

"He is right. You should stop being so harsh toward him."

The boy glared at her.

"He is a criminal. Besides, I am not legally his child."

"But he still cares. Isn't that enough?"

Erika appeared in her green and yellow kimono. She was joined by Surge, Koga and Blaine. Ash sighed.

"Alright, you win." He looked at Giovanni and grinned. "But watch out. Tyrogue showed he could handle a Persian."

The man nodded with a happy smile. Then, without a warning, he took the boy and put him on his shoulders. Ash squealed in surprise because laughing to the air. Blaine nodded. The mafia boss didn't get to spend a lot of time with his children, even Simon. Seeing him with his younger son on his shoulders and a toothy grin on his face was a sight to see, especially since Ash seemed to enjoy himself. Pikachu was caught in a conversation with Persian and all seemed to have fun. Ash looked at the Gym Leaders.

"It's nice to see you too. I missed you while I was away."

"Only them?"

The group turned to see four persons standing nearby. Ash's eyes lit up.

"Lance! Agatha! Lorelei! Bruno!"

Jumping from Giovanni's back, the boy ran to the red-haired man.

"It's been some time, kid."

"Yeah, long time no see."

The groups joined.

"Well." Bruno grinned. "Have you recovered from your little training from Hell?"

Erika looked at him, surprised.

"Training from hell?"

Ash growled and told them of the four weeks spent training with the Elites. Surge nodded.

"At least it served you. I don't remember you were that strong when I last saw you. And you do look different, I admit."

Ash smiled. They talked about what each did until a voice echoed, calling the boy for his next fight.

"Well, I must be going. I'm gonna challenge Fergus, a friend I met who has a Gyarados."

"You know what Pokémon you will use?" Giovanni asked.

Ash's grin was devious.

"His Pokémon is strong. It's really well-trained. But… so is Pikachu."

Surge had a massive Cheshire grin. A dual-type Water-Flying against and electric mouse? It didn't matter if the sea serpent could swallow the boy's rodent. He was going to choke on it, especially after a good Thunderbolt. Ash went to one of the fenced battlefields and saw Fergus. The man had a victorious smile.

"Ready to fight, Ash? Gya insisted to enter the fight and challenge your Pikachu."

"I was planning to use him anyway. Well, bring it on!"

The two faced each other. In a flash of light, the Atrocious Pokémon appeared and roared. Pikachu didn't seem fazed the slightest despite the Pokémon's ability being Intimidate. On the opposite, it merely brought a grin on his face. The hostilities started.

(Play [Are you ready for this](https://youtu.be/pcLZwTU3qDk), from Jock Jams)

"Gyarados, let's start with Aqua Tail!"

Charging his tail with water, the sea serpent launched his appendage toward Pikachu. Ash shook his head.

"Pikachu, Agility! Chain with Volt Tackle!"

Fergus froze.

"What?!"

Pikachu dashed away at the speed of sound. Cloaking himself in lightning, he jumped and hit the Atrocious Pokémon with enough strength to make him reel away. Gyarados rose and snarled. Fergus frowned.

"This attack had strength! I knew your partner was well-trained, but so is mine! Gya, Dragon Dance!"

The Gyarados started a mystic and entrancing dance that surrounded him with a purple halo.

"Now use Hydro Pump!"

"Pikachu, dodge!"

The attack once more struck a second too late. But it was only a second. Ash frowned.

'This Gyarados is nicely trained. Fergus did a nice job on this one. But… I was chosen by Moltres for this competition. I cannot lose yet and I don't intend to anyway!'

An idea came to his head.

"Pikachu, go and…"

"Drown him with Surf!"

Ash's eyes widened as a giant tidal wave came his way.

"Oh, damn it… Pikachu, Use Agility and Iron Tail!"

The trick worked. As the wave was dwarfing them, Pikachu rushed at it full speed and jumped, his tail like a sword. A sword that cut the tsunami in two. Fergus was dumbfounded.

"Wow … alright, let's get the big guns. Gyarados, Hyper Beam!"

Pikachu escaped the beam by a hair. Obeying his Trainer, he ran on the monster that launched him in the air with Aqua Tail… and was answered with Electro Ball. Fergus's eyes were shining.

"He can't dodge! Finish him with Hyper Beam!"

Unbeknownst to him, it was exactly what Ash had hoped. He shouted.

"Pikachu, Mjöllnir full power!"

In the sky, Pikachu span on himself again and again, channeling kinetic and electric energy in his steel-hard tail. Gyarados fired his attack. Pikachu unfolded and made his tail collide with the beam. And the beam was split in two. Everyone remained silent as Pikachu's attack cut straight through the laser blast until it collided with Gyarados's head, having not lost a single bit of strength. The dual-type Pokémon howled under the pain as lightning ran through his body, shocking him to his very bones. He fell on the ground, defeated. Pikachu landed before him, panting. Looking back at it, cutting through a Hyper Beam wasn't an easy task, even with his strongest attack. Well, maybe next time he should try rushing through it with Volt Tackle. It might be interesting. Fergus watched in pure amazement.

(End music)

"That was shorter than expected… but damn interesting! I knew your Pikachu was strong, but that much is nearing insanity! Cutting through a Gyarados's Hyper Beam … you have balls of steel, man."

Ash chuckled. Yeah, maybe he did. Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

"Well done, partner. That was one well-rounded fight." He opened his bag to see Baby Tooth sleeping tightly. "He didn't wake up a second. What a heavy sleeper! Well, I have two more fights for today. Makes me wonder who I'll face. And Fergus, thanks for the challenge!"

"You, thank you. I didn't think I'd be eliminated so early in the tournament."

Ash came to him.

"The speaker said these battles were made to weed out the weakest of us. You were eliminated, but you definitely aren't one of them, just the unlucky guy who got to face me this time."

The Water specialist nodded with a warm smile as he returned his partner. Ash's words had gone straight to his heart. Up in the Hall of Origins, the Legendaries were holding their breath.

"I am suddenly wondering if that little electric Rattata isn't of legendary blood."

Dialga closed his eyes.

"He is. His fourth ancestor was a Raikou."

"The Trainer is an heir of Sir Aaron and the Pokémon is a son of Raikou." Darkrai mumbled. "What a pair!"

Lugia turned to Ho-Oh.

"At least, that was a nice fight. And even nicer were his words at the end."

Ho-Oh nodded.

"Fergus is a friend. I'm wondering what he'll do against an enemy."

The third fight opposed him to a girl with a Golbat. After a battle in which Mightyena proved her superiority, the Bat Pokémon was defeated by a violent Thunder Fang. The last match put him against a prissy gentleman with a Dewgong. Screw you and your manners, Fearow made sushis with the immaculate sea lion. At the end of the day, the boy was very happy, his Pokémon in tip-top shape and more than ready to take on next day's Trainers. That night, Lance and Silver met on the balcony.

"Ash has grown strong, Silver. He might have a chance to win this tournament."

"What I'm wondering is the meaning behind the sigils." The man in black sighed. "I knew Ash was close to the Legendaries. In fact, the truth is: he is the Chosen with the Golden Heart. His heart is made of pure gold, and he is the only one who can use the Heart Flute to its full potential."

Lance nodded.

"I heard the legend. Honestly, I didn't think it was true, but how can I deny it when presented with solid proofs? What about you, Silver? What is your role in this tale?"

"Me? If the Chosen Duo are the Champions of the Council, then I am its Herald, whose task is to mentor the Chosen. It wasn't coincidence if I washed upon Palette Town, that night. Arceus had guided me to Ash. And now…"

"What about Gary and A. J.? They too have received a sigil."

"But they are nothing like Ash. More like arrogant jerks. That's why I'm wondering about the actions of the Council. Legends love nothing more than to play with our feeble lives. We are mortal. They aren't. We are humans. They are gods. We may capture them at times, but never for long and never for good." He sighed. "Why do I feel this whole story is but a play from them? Arceus, I'm getting too old for this. Too old… and too weak."

The man looked at his hands. He who had seen wonders beyond the realms of imagination and travelled across the endless ocean of space, limited only by the powers within him, at times he felt ashamed by what he had become. He was a slave. A slave bound by the worst form of blackmail ever to exist. He who once challenged high gods and otherworldly horrors was now nothing but a pathetic wanderer in a world that wasn't even his. Because the gods of this world held the survivors of his own in hostage.

"How the mighty has fallen…" He muttered under his breath.

The next morning, the Kanto group was reunited with their friends.

"How did it go?" Ash asked.

Bill sighed.

"I met with yar fella Gary Oak on da second round. Da kid crushed Fearow in a single strike. Bam! Stone Edge! An' Fearow fell."

Fergus laughed.

"Don't cry. I met with Ash at the exact same time. When he sliced my Hyper Beam with his strange Thunder Tail attack, I totally lost my voice. Needless to say I didn't make it past here."

Neesha looked down.

"I lost to a kid with a Charmeleon. Vileplume didn't last very long."

Simon turned to Corey.

"What about you, Corey? So far, so good?"

"Yeah. Pidgeot and Bruteroot took me out of some pretty tight spots, but we made it."

Gary passed by and waved at his rival.

"Hey! Ash! Well, have you made it?"

"Yes. And I even beat Fergus while I was at it. I guess you won your rounds too."

"Of course, I did! The mighty Gary Oak, chosen by Articuno himself, could at the very least do as much."

Simon frowned.

"Hey, you being chosen by a Legendary doesn't mean you must behave like a prince!"

Silver nodded.

"The kid is right. Legendaries like some humility at times."

Gary shrugged. A. J. then came.

"Hey, Ash!"

Ash waved at the green-haired kid.

"A. J.! It's been some time!"

"Yeah. Last time I saw you, I defeated you with only my Sandshrew…"

"And got beaten by Silver as a punishment. Be happy, you didn't get the worst of him. Last time that happened, he went singlehandedly against a Legendary Pokémon and won."

The kid gulped.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I didn't get to see it but Simon told me about it. It wasn't a pretty sight. That apart, I saw your Sandshrew had evolved. Congrats!"

"Thanks. What about you? New Pokémon? New teammates?"

"Yeah." He took Simon in a playful headlock. "That guy is Simon. He's my elder brother. Also, I have a brand new team of very amazing Pokémon. They managed to beat a Zapdos through teamwork." Seeing A. J.'s frown, he realized his mistake. "Right, Zapdos chose you. Don't worry, this one was being controlled by Rocket Rebels. Well, wanna meet them?"

"Why not? I'll show you my own team!"

The group headed in a small field near the woods. Here, Ash whistled loudly, causing his friends to appear. Pidgeot, Fearow and Charizard flew from the sky, landing on the grass without a sound. Aerodactyl followed right after. Butterfree and his family got out of a bush and greeted Ash in a small dance. Clefable merely jumped from the branch she was sitting on, Tyrogue right on her heels. Haunter appeared in the boy's back and took him in a hug, earning a laugh. Wartortle, Bulbasaur and Sandslash stopped talking and turned to the newcomers. Finally, Mightyena and Wigglytuff greeted their Trainer with a huge smile. Axew grinned happily when he saw his foster mother.

"Axew! Axew! Axew!"

Ash took the baby Dragon out of his bag and handed him to the Dark Pokémon who put him on her back. A. J. nodded.

"That's quite a team! Hey, wait a minute! I remember some of them!"

Chefable looked at the boy and frowned. His face was familiar… Then it came back. It was the kid with the Sandshrew that defeated her as a Cleffa! Growling, she glared right at him and cracked her knuckles. A. J. looked at her.

"What's wrong with her?"

"You may not remember, but it is the Cleffa you once beat with your partner. Actually, she's one of my strongest fighters."

The green-haired boy's eyes widened. What he remembered was a cute little pink ball with an attitude. What he had before him was pretty much a pink battle-hardened fairy. Clefable turned to her Trainer and made a few hand signs. Ash nodded.

"Alright. When A. J. and I fight, I'll use you against Sandslash." He turned to his temporary rival. "She's one of the three who took Zapdos down alongside Pikachu and Charizard. What about your team?"

The boy looked at the Pokémon.

"They are well-trained. Yep, they look quite powerful. But I wonder how much compared to mine."

He took his poke-ball and opened them. Sandslash, Raticate, Pinsir, Tauros, Flareon and Dragonair appeared. Ash nodded.

"Those are naturally strong Pokémon. They fit you well."

He was going to add something when a voice called.

"Ash Ketchum is awaited in ground C-22. Come quickly!"

The boy winced.

"And here it goes. Who wants to come?"

Clefable jumped on his side. The boy nodded.

"Alright, here you go. Let's hurry up."

"I'm going with you." A. J. smiled. "I wanna see how you fight."

"Alright, but I get to see you afterwards."

They quickly reached the field to see Ash's opponent was already here. It was a girl with long brown hairs and a school outfit with a Marowak at her side. It took Ash time to recognize her.

"I've seen this girl before. A high school student with … not a Marowak but a Cubone."

"And I remember very well the little Pikachu boy with the man in black and the duo of friends." The girl retorted.

Ash's eyes widened at the tone.

"Giselle! From the Pokémon Tech!"

"Exactly." The girl came to him. "It seems you have come a long way, Ash Ketchum."

"And I thought me beating you had taught you some humility…"

The girl snorted. Apparently, it didn't last. Misty nodded.

"Yep, she still looks like an arrogant bitch."

Ash growled.

"Take your Pokémon. We have a battle going."

Giselle frowned.

"I never forgot the humiliation you gave me so long ago. I'd like to face you with Marowak, but Golem will do just fine."

Ash grinned evilly. Golem? Clefable was going to love this fight. Both Pokémon appeared before one another. The fight started immediately.

(Play [Die another day](https://youtu.be/QNYlNmWfnxo), from Madonna)

Ash closed his eyes.

"Clefable, start with Sunny Day!"

The fairy's wings glowed brightly as the sun shone hard over the area. Giselle raised a brow.

"What are you planning? Well, it doesn't matter! Golem, Stone Edge!"

"Counter it!"

Clefable nodded. Moving like a kung-fu fighter, she dodged and parried every single splinter thrown at her.

"Follow with Meteor Mash!"

In a burst of speed, the creature rushed at her opponent. Giselle issued an Iron Defense just in time. Ash smirked.

"Hot 'n cold!"

The Fire Punch melted the defense while the Ice one hurt the creature. Clefable jumped back and crossed her arms. Her Trainer translated her thoughts.

"Is that all you've got? You're talking big for someone who's yet to land a hit."

Giselle snarled viciously.

"I'm just getting started! Golem, Rollout!"

As planned, Clefable jumped to avoid the attack. Golem stopped his roll, turned and opened his mouth.

"Fire Blast!"

The fiery star hit the pink Pokémon in full jump. Clefable landed, growling. Due to Sunny Day, the attack hurt like hell. A chance Magic Guard prevented her from Burn.

"Chain with Superpower!"

His arms glowing white, Golem charged at the creature. Ash frowned. Golem was extremely weak to Grass. Wait, what was Clefable's signature attack, already? He smirked.

"Drain Punch!"

Green fist collided with white one. Ten seconds later, Golem was backing up, staggering. Gisele was speechless.

"What? But Superpower is a Fighting attack! It should have been super-effective!"

"Drain Punch is even more since its damages are quadrupled against a Rock-Ground Pokémon. And it is Clefable's signature attack, the one she inherited from her father and her pride and joy. Superpower was useless."

The school girl frowned. The boy was good. Very good.

"I'm not over yet! Golem, Earthquake!"

"Jump!"

The earth shook, but it served no purpose since Clefable was already in the sky.

"Focus Blast!"

"Counter with your own!"

The collision of both spheres made and explosion in the air. Clefable landed, only to see Golem rush with Focus Punch ready. Grinning, she waited at the last second… and violently turned with Ice Punch ready. Ash winced. He had thought that Clefable would dodge the attack. In the end, she didn't. Golem was strong. Both of them knew it. And the Fairy Pokémon wanted to test her own strength against him. Far from the girly persona most of her species had, Clefable was a tomboy. In battle, there was no relying on buffs and soft tricks. There was punching and blasting. And Starlight was damn good at it. Golem unleashed Earth Power. The girl jumped. The sun shone in her back as her opponent charged Hyper Beam. Wings glowing, Clefable harnessed the power of the sun. After all, her name was Starlight but she had read in a book that the sun was just a big star, so harnessing its power was basically harnessing the power of a star. A huge star. Her hands became blindingly white… The energy beam that followed seemed to rip the air apart and easily overcame the small laser strike of the dual-type Pokémon, blasting him in a massive explosion. When the smoke cleared, Golem was laying in a crater the size of a battlefield. Clefable landed in his back and walked away with pride. A. J. remained silent for a moment, his eyes wide.

"Alright. I'll save Sandslash for her."

(End music.)

Giselle watched the scene, petrified. Twice she had fought the kid. And twice she had lost. Badly. Ash took Clefable in his arms.

"You were amazing. Really. Especially when you countered his Mega Punch. That was daring, but your finish with Solar Beam was awesome."

The Pokémon grinned. She and her Trainer had always shared a fondness for battles that made them very close. And then, Ash had discovered his Aura Powers. Now the boy was training along his teammates, unknowingly strengthening his bond with them. Ash would die for his Pokémon. He had done it before, on New Island. And the group of monsters was just as willing to return the favor, though some of them quite disagreed with the statement. They wouldn't die for Ash, they would win. Killing was optional. But possible.

The boy followed his rival to his own battle and saw him crush a boy with a Steelix. Trap him in Sand Tomb, blast him with Earth Power, finish with Earthquake… Lightning-fast victory. Ash nodded. Gary was fighting with class, A. J. with speed and he with passion. Like their respective element. Next battle pitted him against a girl with a Vulpix. Too bad Wartortle has insisted to fight. The clash didn't last thirty seconds. A good Aqua Jet to counter Fire Spin and the tiny fire fox was out cold. And the kid was going easy … Haunter decided he would be next and got to face a Poliwhirl. After toying with it for a moment and counter his Ice Punch with Shadow Punch, he achieved it by a Shadow Ball dead in the middle of the spiral. Four in the afternoon was ringing when his next match was announced.

"I wonder who it will be." Ash grinned.

He had just finished talking with Lance who had complimented him on his easy victory. He was petting his Pokémon when a blue-haired boy appeared.

"Ash Ketchum?"

"Yeah, that's me."

The teen went to him.

"I'm Damian, your next opponent. Ready to fight?"

Charizard's eyes widened when he saw the boy. Opening his wings, he roared angrily, much to his Trainer's surprise.

"Hey, Charizard! Calm down. What is wrong?"

Then he saw Charizard's outright menacing face and that of his future opponent. Linking the dots was easy.

"Damian!?"

"It's been long. What has Charmander become?"

"He's standing right in front of you and doesn't look too pleased to see you."

Damian raised his head and froze when he saw the angry orange dragon.

"No ways…"

"Yes ways. His new name is Blazefire. It's a little gift from Ho-Oh for his battle prowess. Not so weak of a Charmander in the end, huh?"

Damian frowned.

"I met and caught a lot of other Pokémon during my journey. Take Charizard and let's go. We will see if he really is that strong."

"He, Pikachu and Clefable teamed up to defeat a Zapdos. Keep that in mind."

The two walked to the battlefield. Koga was watching them from afar.

"This battle will be intense…"

The two went to the battlefield and faced one another.

"Ready to witness true power?" Damian asked;

Ash frowned dangerously.

"I should be the one telling you that. I still have in mind the way you treated Charizard as a Charmander." He turned to his friend. "No mercy, partner?"

Charizard nodded.

(Play [The game has changed](https://youtu.be/XqJkdsqeDxw), by Daft Punk)

"Charizard, go!"

"Rhyperior, crush him!"

Ash froze. Rhyperior was a Rock-Ground Pokémon. Charizard had a double weakness to Rock. The kid couldn't help it.

"Ho-Oh damn it… We are in troubles!"

Damian grinned evilly.

"Not so proud all of a sudden, are you? Rhyperior, let's start with Rock Slide!"

Charizard instantly felt Ash's nervousness. He growled. He too had understood he was in troubles due to his weaknesses. However, training with Aerodactyl had taught him a few things about dealing with Rock attacks… His fist turned white and he opened his wings. The rocks were reaching him when he hit them. Damian froze as the attack burst into splinters. Charizard knew Brick Break? And not just that. A pale blue sphere came from his hands, shattering yet another falling rock as his tail destroyed another. Brick Break, Focus Blast and Iron Tail! His opponent had thought of everything! Ash watched as his partner broke through the assault unscathed. He couldn't believe it, really. Charizard had grown stronger without him even noticing! The orange dragon turned to him, a fierce smile on his jaws. The boy nodded. Yeah, maybe everything wasn't so lost, in the end. He clenched his fist.

"Our turn! Charizard, Dragon Rush!"

Cloaking himself in a blue draconic aura, the flame lizard rushed at his opponent at great speed. Damian growled.

"Dream of it! Stone Edge!"

The rock splinters flew to their target but were pushed away effortlessly by the powerful shroud. The collision pushed Rhyperior back a few feet. Ash grinned.

"Now, Brick Break!"

Grinning, Charizard charged his fist and hit the Drill Pokémon's armor, partially shattering it. The blue-haired boy viciously snarled.

"I'll be damned! Rhyperior, Smack Down!"

The Pokémon's golden energy sphere heavily collided with the dragon, sending him down. A Hammer Arm threw him to the other side of the battlefield. Charizard rose slowly, just in time to see a huge Rock Wrecker heading straight his way. Ash gasped. An attack like this could be fatal and his friend was already heavily wounded by Smack Down and Hammer Arms! One second, he was tempted to jump in front of the Flame Pokémon and take the blow for him, but it would disqualify him from the tournament. But if Charizard lost here, he was out either, so…

So nothing. At the last second, Charizard's body turned crimson red, meaning Blaze was activated. Then the dragon rose and blocked the boulder with a huge sphere of flames born from an overpowered Blast Burn. Focusing all of his strength, Charizard pushed the attack back, the power of Blast Burn slowly _disintegrating_ Rock Wrecker until it was completely gone. Damian was dumbstruck.

"W-what? _Blast Burn?_ That damn lizard knows the ultimate fire move?"

"He does." Ash coldly said. "And more. Charizard, take flight!"

Damian looked at the dragon with anger. No ways! No ways he was defeated by this worthless monster!

"Rhyperior, Rock Wrecker again!"

"Charizard, Inferno!"

The dual-type Pokémon grinned. Yeah, let's get dangerous! He opened his mouth and a burst of white-hot flames erupted from it like Hell's angry fire. Rock Wrecker didn't last long despite the type advantage.

"Now, Flare Blitz!"

Shrouding himself in his own attack, Charizard rushed to Rhyperior like an immaculate meteor. The strength of the impact was enough to rise thr Drill Pokémon from the ground.

"Finish with Seismic Toss!"

Using the momentum, the Fire Starter rose in the sky as high as the clouds, then dived in a spinning motion, Rhyperior trapped on his chest. The Pokémon's heavy weight didn't help his case. Charizard basically slammed him into the ground, causing a crater nearly the size of the field. When the smoke cleared, the orange dragon was standing proudly over his defeated nemesis. Unable to hold himself any longer, Ash ran and hugged his partner with tears in his eyes.

(End music)

"Well done, Charizard! You were totally amazing. I really thought we were done for at the beginning… but… I never realized you had grown that strong. I am so proud of you…"

Damian returned Rhyperior, a look of pure disgust on his face.

"No ways… No ways in the world! I can't believe my strongest Pokémon was defeated by this previous weakling of a Starter!"

Charizard turned to him. Baring his fangs, he growled deeply and threateningly, as if to dare his ex-Trainer to make a move. Which he did. Taking another poke-ball, Damian called for another Pokémon.

"I'm not done yet! Slowbro…"

Before anyone could react, a sphere of deep blue energy hit the Pokémon straight in the head. Charizard turned to see Ash standing before him, another Aura Sphere ready. His face was merciless.

"Leave. Now."

Damian shivered at the icy-cold tone.

"What… was that?"

"An Aura Sphere. I am an Aura Guardian, one of the few people able to use a mystical energy called Aura. I can do a lot of things with this energy … including fighting for my friends when they are threatened. And that's exactly what you're doing. You're menacing Charizard." His eyes narrowed as his Aura became more feral. "Take your Pokémon and get the hell outta there. Sore losers like you, I despise them. They make me want to throw up! So leave now before I aim my next attack to you!"

He wasn't kidding. Everyone who was witnessing the fight could see that. Ash was dead serious and Damian felt it. Recalling Slowbro, he rushed away in hurry. Charizard placed his claws on the boy's shoulder and grinned. His threatening Aura was fading away like his shrinking Aura Sphere. Ash turned to him.

"Let's go. You need a good check at the Pokémon Center."

Later that night, the boy went to the balcony of his building. Unable to sleep, he looked at the moon. The eliminatory rounds were over and Charizard would be fine tomorrow afternoon for his second battle in the qualifying rounds. A chance his team didn't fully rely on the dragon to win… Yet, there was no denying the kid was nervous. This day's battles had been fierce between Giselle's Golem and Damian's Rhyperior… and his burst of anger after the fight.

"Ew?"

Ash turned to see Baby Tooth looking at him from the bed sheets.

"Axew?"

Smiling, the boy returned to him. The little dragon had been tremendously impressed by Charizard's performance and had remained excited for the rest of the day. Now he was worried about his foster father's insomnia. Holding him against his bare chest, Ash stroked his scales.

"Don't worry, Baby Tooth. When you're old enough, I'll train you into a fighter as amazing as Charizard. I promise."

The little Axew snuggled against him. Both fell asleep without even noticing.


	27. Blazing rivalry

There was nothing in sight  
But memories left abandoned.  
There was nowhere to hide,  
The ashes fell like snow  
And the ground caved in  
Between where we were standing,

And your voice was all I heard  
That I get what I deserve…

So give me reason  
To prove me wrong,  
To wash this memory clean.  
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes.  
Give me reason  
To fill this hole,  
Connect the space between.  
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies  
Across this new divide!  
[New Divide](https://youtu.be/8ZBnwBVjwOk), Linkin Park

The next morning, the group came to the front desk where a woman in green was waiting for them. She smiled at their sight.

"Welcome. I see you made it past the eliminatory rounds. Ready to face the qualifying phase?"

"More than ever!" Ash grinned happily.

"Then press this spot." She showed him a bright red spot on the desk. "This randomizer will choose one of the four special fields on which the qualification rounds will occur. You will then be paired with an opponent who will have ended with the same field as you."

Ash pushed the spot and looked at the screen. There was a rock, a snowflake, a water drop and a leaf. The light passed on all four of them several times before stopping on the water drop. The woman smiled.

"Water field. Let's see… Your opponent is Mandi 'the Magnificent'. Good luck."

"Thank you."

As they got out of the building, Misty looked at her friend.

"Do you know what Pokémon you'll be using against Mandi?"

Ash thought a little.

"Wartortle sounds like a good idea due to field advantage but if Mandi thought the same and decided to use other Water Pokémon, Wartortle will have troubles since he doesn't know well how to counter them. I know it. Lorelei fought me with Water-Ice Pokémon and really gave me a hard time." He closed his eyes. "No, I'll take Bulbasaur. He is at ease on watery places and the sun is bright."

"And if Mandi has Grass Pokémon?"

Ash grinned maliciously.

"Bulbasaur can use any attack of his line, thanks to Dana. It includes Poison attacks…"

Simon couldn't help but giggle. This Mandi guy was in for a surprise.

"I wonder how long it will take for Little Brother to kick this guy out."

Laughing, Ash launched himself to the redhead's neck.

"It'll be over before you know, you'll see!"

Grinning, Simon passed an arm around Ash's waist and held him close. Silver looked at the two and kindly smiled. Seeing the two bonding was often a heartwarming moment. A voice stopped them.

"So this is the child I will face. Ash Ketchum, holder of the Moltres sigil. Hard to believe a kid like you was chosen by a Legendary Bird."

"My little brother is perfectly able to beat you with a single Pokémon." Simon retorted. "If his Pikachu was able to slice the Hyper Beam of a Gyarados in two, what about his other friends?"

Mandi raised a brow.

"Really? Well, I am curious to see what kind of stunt you will be pulling during our match."

"You have no ideas." Ash answered. "Hand?"

He held his hand to the man, only to have it denied.

"Sorry, only poke-balls may touch my silky hands." In a flick of wrist, he pulled one from his sleeve. "Beware. I am not called the Magnificent Mandi for nothing."

"And I wasn't chosen by Moltres for nothing either. Meet on the battlefield, mister."

They met later at the water arena. Ash was nervous. The place was crowded to the last seat, many people having come to see the boy who had defeated a legendary and, more recently, sliced a Hyper Beam in two. But Mandi wasn't lacking fans either. Indeed, the man was a magician of many tricks who people loved his shows, and a good Trainer at that. Johnny O'Martian could be heard atop the crowd.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen! Here comes one of our most awaited matches of this qualifying phase: that of Ash Ketchum, the Legendary Slayer of Pallet Town! His opponent is Mandi the Magnificent, an excellent Trainer in his own rights and a clever man of hidden talents! Round one of the qualifying rounds, begin!"  
Mandi took a poké-ball.

"Exeggutor, go!"

Ash nodded. Just as he thought …

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

The two Grass Pokémon appeared on floating platforms. Mandi raised a brow while, in the bleachers, Blaine had a huge Cheshire cat grin. Sabrina noticed it.

"What's wrong, Blaine? Is something on?"

"You have no ideas…" The old scientist retorted. "And this poor trickster doesn't either."

"What? Is that all you have?" Mandi asked.

Ash smiled.

"You aren't the only tricky one in there. Shall we get started?"

They did.

(Start [Seymour Battle Theme](https://youtu.be/dWE0nlhpdq8), Final Fantasy X)

"Exeggutor, start with Psyshock!"

The Coconut Pokémon sent a big blob of psychic energy straight to Bulbasaur who nimbly dodged by propelling himself with his vines. Being light has its use… Ash reacted.

"Bulbasaur, retaliate with Energy Ball!"

"Light Screen!"

Bulbasaur sent a sphere of energy that bounced on the wall of light. He landed on a platform and chained with Sludge Bomb in a swift move. Exeggutor was hit dead-on and swaggered, poisoned. Ash grinned.

"Venoshock!"

The green energy beam heavily brought the poor Pokémon on its knees. Mandi growled. The kid was swift.

"Exeggutor, don't stop here! Egg Bomb!"

"Counter with Seed Bomb!"

The two attacks collided in big burst of energy. Exeggutor chained with Giga Drain, which took its toll on Bulbasaur's weaker built. It actually managed to salvage its life for a while, but didn't remove the poison. Mandi frowned. He would have to make it short.

"Exeggutor, Wood Hammer!"

Exeggutor gathered the last of its strength and jumped, its foot glowing in a bright shade of blue. Ash watched the attack.

"Bulbasaur, Leaf Storm."

Bulbasaur grinned. His bulb started absorbing wind and filled up before bursting into a pure hurricane of extremely sharp leafs. Exeggutor was caught dead center. Screaming, the poor creature fell in the pond and rose with swirls in its eyes. Johnny was bouncing.

"And the first win is for Ash Ketchum and his remarkably well-trained Bulbasaur! And it isn't even his Starter!"

Mandi growled.

"You may have won, but I am not over yet! Kingdra, go!"

The draconic seahorse appeared. Ash had a devious smile.

"How do you feel, Bulbasaur?"

"Saur." (Fine.)

"Perfect. Then let's…"

"Seadra, Dragon Pulse!"

"…use Light Screen."

The draconic sphere shattered the wall and sent Bulbasaur into the pool. Mandi smirked.

"Now I have the advantage! Kingdra, Hydro Pump!"

The next second, Bulbasaur was flying out of the water, propelled by a heavy burst of air. The sun shone and Ash saw his chance.

"Bulbasaur, now! Solar Beam full power!"

The water on his bulb acting as a magnifying glass, Bulbasaur turned the plant on his back into a solar battery. Mandi realized his mistake a second too late.

"Kingdra, dive!"

The Dragon Pokémon didn't have time. The blast of solar energy could have been called Solar Flare for all it was worth. It evaporated half of the pond on impact and obliterated Bulbasaur's opponent in a searing doom. The crowd was blinded for several minutes.

"Well people, for a Solar Beam, that was a Solar Beam!"

Mandi couldn't believe it. He returned Kingdra, snarling.

"Alright, this time I am getting dangerous! Go, Crobat!"

The purple Bat Pokémon emerged in a red light. Bulbasaur growled. This wouldn't be an easy fight … Ash felt it too so he had his partner use Giga Drain. It didn't affect the bat much but was enough to heal some of the Seed Pokémon's injuries. Mandi crossed his arms.

"Let us win this fight! Crobat, attack Acrobatics!"

Ash growled.

"Counter with Whip Vines!"

The move was useless. With tremendous agility, Crogat harassed its opponent in a flurry of wing attacks that left Bulbasaur confused and ill on his feet. Ash frowned. The sun was bright… as bright as if someone used Sunny Day. Mandi ordered yet another Acrobatics. The move pushed Bulbasaur dangerously close to the waters. Suddenly, the half-Grass Pokémon's body glowed bright green. Ash cheered. Overgrowth had activated! He gave an order.

"Bulbasaur, Leaf Storm!"

Grinning, Bulbasaur hurled a whirlwind of cutting leafs to Crobat, who was trapped in the middle. It didn't last. A good Air Cutter broke it free from the hurricane, but not without a few scratches. Mandi sighed in relief.

"Crobat, Wing Attack!"

Ash nodded. Now was his chance!

"Bulbasaur, Power Whip!"

Mandi nearly jumped.

"What? Power Whip?"

Bulbasaur's vines glowed purple. Two strikes and Crobat was down to a platform. The young Aura user smiled in victory.

"Finish with Frenzy Plant!"

In his booth, Johnny was hysterically jumping.

"Frenzy Plant is the ultimate Grass-type move! And this young and small Bulbasaur can use it! Great gods, is that little beast powerful! Ash turned this cute critter in a war machine!"

' _It wasn't exactly me._ ' The kid thought. ' _I merely helped Sapling master the moves. Looks like I did a good job…_ '

Thorny roots rose from the ground and mercilessly tore Crobat's body. When the smoke faded, the creature was barely standing, which was a surprise in itself. Mandi was wide-eyed.

"No ways… How could a kid defeat the Magnificent Mandi?"

Ash looked at him.

"Give up. Crobat is in no conditions to fight anymore. Let's end it painlessly."

The magician shook his head.

"No ways! Crobat, Brave Bird!"

Mustering its last strength, Crobat rose and cloaked itself in blue flames. Bulbasaur looked at it with worry and turned to Ash who closed his eyes.

"Take it. It is Crobat's last attack, he will faint from the recoil afterward." He sighed. "It's a brave Pokémon. Let's withstand its last move proudly."

Bulbasaur nodded. His Trainer had an honor code he respected. Taking someone's last blow was a sign of respect if not to the Trainer, at least to the Pokémon who valiantly fought to the end. So he stood, knowing he had a chance of fainting as well. The blow came and knocked both of them into the pool. When they emerged, Crobat was out cold and Bulbasaur was this close to do the same. Mandi could only admit his defeat.

Ash returned Bulbasaur.

"You did an excellent job, Sap. Taking his three Pokémon all by yourself… I'm very proud of you."

(End music)

In the booth, Johnny screamed.

"And Ash Ketchum wins after a magnificent display of strength and power! And fair-play as well! Taking Crobat's last blow while knowing it might be fatal was a sign of true respect from him and his Pokémon."

Mandi returned Crobat and got down.

"Well, I can only admit my defeat. But to think a Bulbasaur would know moves like Leaf Storm, Power Whip and Frenzy Plant…"

Ash's friends rushed to him. Misty grinned from ear to ear.

"The qualifying rounds are the first really official rounds of the League. And you were totally amazing! Nice choice with Bulbasaur!"

Ash scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah. Well, thanks."

Silver smiled.

"Yep. Your fight was recorded and broadcast all over Kanto, just like that of the others. How does it feel to step in the big boys' field?"

Ash looked down.

"It feels strange …"

They took Bulbasaur to the Pokémon Center and left him here. According to the nurse, he would be fine by tomorrow but not before. Ash thanked her. He had more than one key member in stores. He got Charizard back and spent the rest of the morning with his friends, talking and playing and enjoying himself. It was good to breath between fights… When the time for the second battle came, the boy quietly went to the arena. He had picked Ice field and his opponent was Pete Pebbleman from Pewter City. The two opponents faced each other.

"I can't wait to fight you." Ash grinned. "Let's do our best."

Pete nodded.

"That's the least I can do against you. Before we begin, I have to admit I feel honored to have you as my opponent. This fight will be interesting…"

"Yeah, if we make it so…"

Lance nodded.

"At least he doesn't look like his head's gotten too big."

"If it ever does…" Silver grinned evilly. "I'm pitting him against you. We'll see how long he keeps behaving like a whelp."

Agatha nodded.

"I like that idea. Just leave him to me…"

Simon shivered. The old woman was creepy as the Reverse World… The match finally began.

(Play [Fight to the Death](https://youtu.be/75hQJylsOdw), Final Fantasy XII)

"Haunter, I choose you!"

"Go, Parasect!"

The two Pokémon faced each other. Pete frowned. Parasect was at a disadvantage due to Haunter resisting heavily its Bug attacks and partially its Grass ones. And let's not talk about the Poison moves. He could forget using Cross Poison and Venoshock to bring his opponent down.

"Not gonna be an easy fight… Well, better get started! Parasect, X-Scissor!"

Ash grinned. The odds were in his favor.

"Block with Shadow Claws!"

Parasect rushed at Haunter, only to be blocked by the ghost's limbless hands. The Ghost Pokémon easily sent his opponent to the other side of the battlefield.

"Continue with Sludge Wave!"

Pete froze.

"Dig now!"

Sensing the threat, Parasect quickly hid underground, narrowly avoiding the attack. It didn't emerge, but an Energy Ball went and hit Haunter from right under, sending him flying away. The Grass-Bug Pokémon emerged and shivered violently. Ice wasn't exactly its favorite field. Pete shrugged.

"Sorry, pal. Better freeze than be poisoned by that thing… Creepy attack!"

Haunter emerged from behind an ice rock, apparently not in a good mood.

"Haun-ter…" (That was low…)

"Parasect…" (Says a Ghost Pokémon…)

Haunter looked at the creature in disbelief. Next thing the bug knew, a big Shadow Ball was heading straight for it. It had barely the time to counter with Energy Ball before taking cover. Haunter followed and narrowly avoided a Hone Claw-powered Cross Poison followed by a Fury Cutter. The little ghost dodged the attacks for a while before crushing an ice rock with Shadow Claw, taking an icicle and impaling Parasect's mushroom with it. Ash frowned. Haunter then made a good Shadow Ball and sent it to his opponent. The Mushroom Pokémon couldn't withstand it. Pete whistled.

"That was faster than I thought. Well, what next?"

Haunter turned to his Trainer and saw his disapproving look. When he raised a brow, Ash shook his head.

"No impaling, especially with an icicle. It's painful."

(But it's a fight!) Haunter retorted with hand signs.

"Yes, a fight. Not an execution. What's gotten into you anyway?"

(He said I was a Ghost type…)

"You are one."

(He did it in an insulting fashion…)

Ash sighed as Pete got a Cloyster.

"We'll talk about it later. Now, we've got a new Pokémon to fight."

Pete started quickly with Water Pulse. Haunter countered with Shadow Ball, generating an explosion from which emerged an Ice Beam. The attack hit Haunter dead on, making him fly away. Ash growled.

"Haunter, get a hold on yourself! You're being unfocused!"

The Ghost Pokémon growled and shook his head, removing the ice on his head. He charged Shadow Claw and launched a Dark Assault on Cloyster who withdrew in its shell. Ash frowned.

"Cloyster's defense is incredibly high. I'll have to go with another tactic..."

He grinned. Looks like he was right to have Clefable teach the trickster creature the Elemental Punches.

"Haunter, Confuse Ray!"

Sheer strength alone wasn't about to take care of this Ice Wall that was Cloyster. The kid had to act tricky. After he got Poochyena, he had started to teach his partner jamming moves to go along Pooch's more aggressive move set, until he noticed he himself was too aggressive to make full use of this arsenal. Since then, Haunter had an array of Status Effect-inducing moves he never ever used. Well, looks like they would still be useful in the end… Haunter gladly obeyed and hit Cloyster with the confusing attack. The effect was instant. Cloyster opened its shell, its eyes like crazed, and span on itself while shooting icicles everywhere. Ash gulped.

"Oops … Haunter, Fire Punch on those icicles and Thunder Punch on Cloyster, _quick!_ "

Dutifully obeying and agreeing the situation was getting messy, Haunter rushed to Cloyster while melting any icicles that came too close from his frail body. He was about to reach the Bivalve Pokémon when Cloyster turned to him and sent three ice spears to his hands and forehead, pinning him to a rock. The attack was followed by a Hyper Beam that obliterated rock and the Ghost alike. Ash winced and returned his friend.

"Nice try Haunter. Looks like I shouldn't have taught you these moves..." He looked at Pete. "Well done."

Pete had a victorious grin as Cloyster recovered from its confusion. Ash frowned. Who next?… Butterfree? He took a poké-ball.

"Butterfree, I choose you!"

Pete raised a brow. A Butterfree? Well…

"Cloyster, Blizzard!"

"Butterfee, use your psychic powers to create a bubble!"

The purple butterfly nodded and focused his powers. His eyes glowed pink and a sphere formed around himself, shielding him from the storm.

"Chain with Bug Buzz!"

Still in the protective bubble, Butterfree vibrated his wings so they emitted a series of red waves. Cloyster stumbled back, hurt. Ash grinned.

"Now! Energy Ball in the head while he's stunned!"

Butterfree fiercely nodded and sent a green sphere straight in Cloyster's head. The creature rolled away. One more move …

"Finish with Steel Wing!"

Pete reacted.

"Frost Breath!"

It was useless. Almost. Though the icy breath nearly fully froze Butterfree's wings, the brave Bug Pokémon kept flying and crushed the Bivalve creature's face. However, the recoil caused the shell to close on his wing. He weakly flew away under Ash's worried eyes.

"Rain! You're alright?"

Rainbow shivered violently. His Trainer took a poké-ball.

"Return! You have to rest."

The Butterfree was about to accept when Pete got his last Pokémon.

"Arcanine, go!"

Ash growled.

"After the cold, we get the heat. One more Pokémon Butterfree is weak to."

But Timid Rainbow didn't see things this way. He turned to the fire dog and bravely faced it. Ash frowned.

"You want to challenge it? Are you sure of yourself?"

Butterfree nodded. The boy sighed.

"Alright. Here we go."

Pete grinned.

"Let's do this! Flare Blitz!"

Ash frowned.

"Dodge!"

Butterfree flew out of the way and sent a Psychic wave to the Fire Pokémon. Arcanine growled and shook its head.

"Flamethrower!"

"Bug Buzz!"

This time, Bug Buzz manifested as a red laser beam. The two attacks collided, fighting for dominion until Flamethrower won. Ash screamed.

"Butterfree!"

The butterfly emerged from the attack … with some burns and the ice on his wings totally gone. His Trainer couldn't hold back his joy.

"So that's why you wanted to fight it! You knew Arcanine's fire attacks would free your wings from the ice!"

Pete stepped back in surprise. The idea wasn't even from Ash? His Pokémon were actually able to decide for themselves in the middle of a fight? Usually, the creatures obeyed their Trainer's every order without thinking for themselves! What kind of guy was the kid? Ash grinned. Taking advantage of his opponent's surprise, he gave an order.

"Acrobatics!"

Pete reacted.

"Extreme Speed!"

Soon, the two Pokémon were clashing in a struggle of speed and strength. Arcanine was actually stronger and heavier than Butterfree, but the little bug was quick and agile. He harassed the big dog like a mosquito, hitting and stinging until Arcanine hit its paws against a rock and stumbled. Ash nodded.

"Now! Psychic!"

Focusing all of his mental power in a single attack, Butterfree sent a beam of bright pink and purple energy that hit his opponent's defenseless stomach. Arcanine jerked in pain and stopped moving. The crowd cheered as Johnny O'Martian jumped up and down.

"And Ash bring us a new amazing victory with only two Pokémon and a serious type disadvantage! What a well-trained Butterfree, gentlemen!"

(End music)

Ash took Butterfree in his arms.

"You're alright, pal?"

Butterfree sighed. He was tired … Snuggling against his Trainer, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Ash kindly smiled. The Butterfly Pokémon was one of the first Pokémon he had caught and also the only one he had released, even though it hadn't been for long. Now the purple creature was an excellent father and a strong Pokémon. Caressing his head, the boy muttered.

"Once we go back to Pallet Town, I will stop using you for Pokémon fighting so you can fully devote yourself to your mate and kids. You totally deserved it."

Pete came to him and smiled.

"That was a nice fight. You're quite strong for someone so young!"

"You weren't half-bad either." Ash replied. "I didn't think you'd defeat Haunter. Looks like he and I will have some more training to do."

"Yep. And I seriously didn't think your Butterfree would beat Arcanine. It was totally unexpected."

Ash shrugged.

"Butterfree knows how to handle Fire types. I used him against Blaine's Flareon and he didn't have much trouble."

Pete nodded. The boy was indeed a good Trainer. He deserved to stay in the race. Ash went to the Center and gave his wounded Pokémon to Nurse Joy who congratulated him on his good match. He was joined by his friends and was about to leave the area when a large hand fell on his shoulder. The boy swiftly turned, only to be met with Giovanni's large stature.

"That was an excellent fight." The man said with his baritone voice. "I am happy to see you have become a strong and respectful Trainer."

"Says the Mafia boss..." Ash said sarcastically.

He still let the man hug him. He was aware that, despite his criminal and overall evil activities, the man wasn't evil himself. A truly evil man wasn't such a caring dad, even though Giovanni was only Ash's father by blood. He invited them to a good restaurant and, after celebrating with the complete group, left to join the other Gym Leaders. The night fell, bringing sleep to the countless Trainers of the Conference. Yet Ash couldn't find it. Since the beginning of the event, Silver had proven distant and more thoughtful than usual. It deeply worried the boy, who knew the man well-enough to tell something was off. So he left his bed and his room to reach the balcony the man was standing at, stargazing.

"Hey, Silver."

The tailed man turned to his protégé.

"Hey, Little Ashling. Having problems sleeping?"

"More or less..." He snuggled against the man. "I feel like you're more distant every day. Is there something wrong?"

Silver sighed.

"No. I'm just trying to give you some space to grow up."

"But I have grown up! I'm no more the little kid who found you at Oak's doorstep. I am a Trainer and one of the best. And it's all thanks to you. Besides I'm only eleven!"

"And you'll soon reach teenage, which is one of the hardest periods in life. You must learn to stop relying on me, kiddo."

"But who's gonna teach me Aura wielding, then?"

Silver fell silent. He knew that Ash wouldn't let go of him so easily. The man was like a father to him. That's why he encouraged Giovanni to assume this role, all the while stepping to the backstage. But it seemed Ash would have none of it. He hugged the man tightly, furrowing his childish face in the man's muscled stomach. Instinctively, Silver's tail wrapped around his face. Ash grinned and hummed.

_Shipwreck in a sea of faces,_   
_There's a dreamy world up there._   
_Dear friends in higher places,_   
_Carry me away from here!_

_Travel light, let the sun eclipse you_   
_For your flight is about to leave._   
_There's more in great adventure_   
_Than you'll ever believe …_

_Bird's high view,_   
_Awake the stars 'cause they're all around you._   
_Wide eyes will brighten the blues_   
_Chase your dreams,_   
_And remember me,_   
_Sweet bravery, 'cause_   
_After all those wings will take you up so high,_   
_So bit the forest floor goodbye_   
_As you raise the wind and_   
_Take to the sky!_

Silver couldn't help but smile. It was the song he had sung to the sleepy boy in the Pokémon Center of Viridian City. To Ash, it was both a lullaby and a song about his journey across Kanto. He wrapped his arms around the boy's shoulders before taking him in his arms and hum. Ash grinned.

"Me growing up doesn't mean we should stay apart." He put his head in the hollow of the man's neck. "I love you so much, dad..."

Silver's heart tightened at the word. Right, he was the only one Ash called 'Dad' and considered as such. Giovanni didn't count. Deciding he was right, the man drove his son by heart back to his room and spent the rest of the night with him. After all, Ash was still a kid. Morning came, and with it the second day of the qualifying rounds. Today, Ash was facing Jeanette Fisher, a girl from Celadon City. Rumor had it she was one of Erika's best students. The boy shrugged. His own master was on par with the Elite Four, so…

His poké-balls in hand, he went to the Grass arena. Jeanette was already here.

"I have been waiting for you, Ash Ketchum." She frowned. "They all say you are a powerful Trainer with a lot of fame. Well, I am too. Let's see who's best..."

Ash grinned. He had taken Pidgeot, Wartortle and Wigglytuff for this fight. Johnny raised his hand.

"May the fight begin!"

(Play [Force your way](https://youtu.be/CZMWszd5SRk), Final Fantasy VIII)

"Beedrill, go!"

"Pidgeot, I choose you!"

Jeanette frowned when she saw the giant bird. The creature looked well-trained and she knew none of her chosen team had an advantage against him. Well, better give it her all…

"Beedrill, use Poison Jab!"

The wasp's two hand-needles turned purple as the creature rushed to Pidgeot. Ash frowned.

"Air Slash!"

Ordered at the last time, the wind blade struck at point-blank range. Beedrill stumbled away, disturbed. A Hurricane later, the Bug Pokémon was down for the count. Jeanette frowned. Yep, Ash was a good Trainer to end her Starter with just two attacks. She took a poké-ball.

"Scyther, go!"

Now it was for Ash to frown. Scyther was a strong Pokémon when well-trained, with above average Attack and Speed. Jeanette gave an order.

"Scyther, attack X-Scissor!"

"Go for Steel Wing!"

The two Pokémon rushed at one another and a violent clang! was heard. Making a U-turn, the two flew in the sky, Pidgeot unleashing a series of Air Slash his opponent countered with Night Slash. Shaking its wings, the bug suddenly sent a series of Bug Buzz to Pidgeot's head. Pidgeot shrieked in pain. He dived to the ground, only to be hit by the red laser beam the attack had turned into. He landed and frowned as Scyther went to face him. Both Trainers frowned.

"Bug Buzz!"

"Hurricane!"

The two attacks clashed in the middle of the battlefield. Hurricane eventually took over and blasted the Mantis Pokémon away, sending it in the wall. Jeanette snarled. That damn kid… She took one last poké-ball and clenched it.

"Looks like I have no choice. Bellsprout, go!"

Ash raised his head at the sight of the small creature. Looking at Pidgeot, he shrugged.

"Go easy on it."

Pidgeot nodded. The frail Flower Pokémon was no older than a child.

"Bellsprout, attack Magical Leaf!"

Ash crossed his arms.

"Air Slash."

The blades of wind cut through the leaf storm as easily as paper. Bellstroup gasped. The bird was huge. Really huge. He looked at his opponent and sent it a meaningful glare. The Poison-Grass Pokémon started shivering and sweating heavily. Jeanette growled.

"Don't be fooled! Seed Bomb!"

Her partner would have none of it. Squealing, the creature rushed as fast as its tiny roots allowed him, disqualifying the girl. Said girl was seeing red.

"Why you damn!"

Johnny's voice echoed.

"And here is another great victory to the powerful Ash Ketchum! Defeating all three of Jeanette's Pokémon with only one of his ..."

(End music)

Returning Pidgeot after a good thanks, the boy left to the bleachers to see his friends. Misty hugged him.

"You were amazing! Even with having the advantage, the way Pidgeot took care of her entire team ..."

Brock laughed.

"Pidgeot was already strong by the time Ash started his journey. I remember his fight against Onix. The gym was a mess after that ..."

As they headed to the restaurant, they saw Gary and his fangroup, enjoyinga mug of coffee. Ash smiled.

"Looks like you won."

"Of course, I did. I am the great Gary Oak. And you? Did you make it this far?"

"Yep! Beat my last opponent with Pidgeot only."

Gary shrugged.

"Well, it seems you did earn your sigil after all..."

"Gary Oak!"

Gary raised his head, surprised by his rival's suddenly harsh tone. Ash was glaring at him, anger in his eyes.

"When will you stop treating me like I'm lower than dirt? I always saw you as a rival and an equal. Why don't you do the same with me? What in Ho-Oh's name is wrong with you?" He crossed his arms. "Besides, you never managed to beat me yet. In any case, I should be the haughty one. But I'm not."

Gary's eyes hardened and his fist clenched.

"Well, that's not gonna last. Arm yourself, Ashie boy. You are my next opponent and I don't plan on going easy on you ..."

"Me neither."

They left on cold terms, Ash walking to the restaurant while Gary finished his mug. While eating, the boy thought of a strategy.

' _Gary has powerful Pokémon, but the real danger comes from Blastoise, Arcanine, Umbreon and Alakazam. Those four are his best fighters. I'm willing to bet my sigil that at least two of them will be in his team. Let's see … Mightyena is immune to Alakazam's psychic attacks and resists Umbreon. Pikachu will be in too. His speed is on par with that of Arcanine and he defeated Blastoise before. Finally, in case Gary took Pikachu into account and chose a Ground Pokémon to resist him, Tyrogue can take care of them, especially if said Pokémon has Rock as a secondary type. He can also deal with Umbreon, but if Alakazam gets out, I return him at once. Yeah. So it will be Pikachu, Mightyena and Tyrogue. Makes me wonder when he will evolve..._ '

The time to fight finally came. The young Trainer went to the arena where Johnny O'Martian couldn't hold his excitation.

"And here we are! The fight between these two legends originating from Pallet Town, the battle everyone's been waiting for! I name: Gary Oak vs. Ash Ketchum!"

The crowd cheered loudly. Both Trainers were loved by many and on each side, banners, flags and placards covered with encouraging words were seen. Ash turned to them and a strange warmth filled his heart. These people believed in him. They liked him and encouraged him through his fights, showering the area with red, blue and white flower petals. Gary's supporters weren't to be outdone. They were cheering and whistling and sending purple and golden petals all over, much to the kid's pleasure. He turned to them and waved.

"Don't worry. I promise you Ash won't last a second against me. After all, I am the Great Gary Oak. Who am I to lose to a loser like him?"

Ash frowned and turned to his supporters. One banner had the Moltres sigil while a group of two men and a woman were waving a flag decorated with the firebird himself. Clenching his fist, he raised it upwards in a sign of victory, flames burning in his eyes. The crowd imitated him, raising their fist to the sky again and again. Ash finally decided to head to the platform and faced his rival.

"Let's begin." Both said in a cold voice.

Gary took a poke-ball.

"Hitmonlee, I choose you!"

The Kicking Pokémon appeared. Before Ash could react, Tyrogue got out of his poke-ball and looked at his opponent with shock in his eyes. Then he made a few gestures.

(…Daddy?)

Ash raised a brow. Tyrogue came to the Hitmonlee and timidly waved. His opponent looked carefully at him.

"Hit… monlee?" (Silent… Hope?)

Tyrogue nodded, the shock in his eyes turning into happiness.

(Father!)

"Hitmonlee!" (My son!)

To everyone's bewilderment, both Pokémon hugged each other deeply. Tyrogue turned to his friend.

(Ash, this is my father! I finally found him!) He turned to the Fighting type. (I thought I would never see you again!)

Hitmonlee raised a brow, unable to understand the hand signs his son was making. Seeing where the problem was, Pikachu quickly translated. The Hitmon nodded.

"Hit-monlee. Monlee hit monmon leemonlee mon leelee mon. Mon lemon hitmonlee monhit." (Me neither. I thought you had managed to escape and were living in the forest. But you have a Trainer.)

(Don't worry. Ash is a good master and a friend. He and his father taught me sign language so I could speak with others and they protected me from other bad Trainers. I joined them on my own will.)

To say the crowd didn't get a thing was an understatement. They had no single idea what was happening. Being able to read Tygogue's hand signs, the group was, however. Silver warned Johnny of the situation. The man nodded.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, this comes as a surprise. This Hitmonlee is none other than Tyrogue's father and the two are having a cute reunion in the middle of the battlefield!"

The crowd whispered among themselves, surprised. Gary growled.

"Hey, Hitmontop, I chose you to fight, not to make chit-chat!"

The Kicking Pokémon sighed. Looks like fighting was inevitable, in the end. Tyrogue grinned.

(Doesn't matter. We'll talk after the fight. Then we'll have all the time we want.)

Hitmonlee nodded. His son was a brave kid. The two took stance and the fight started.

(Play [Boss Theme](https://youtu.be/tojdtfyKWP4), from Final Fantasy XII)

"Hitmonlee, Fire Kick!"

"Dodge and use Low Sweep!"

Using his extensible limb, Tyrogue's father sent a burning foot to the place his son was. Had been. Swift as Pikachu, the kid Pokémon jumped, landed on his hands, re-jumped and mowed his father's legs. Hitmonlee winced. Having his eyes closed made him unable to see the Hi Jump Kick his son gave him straight in the face. Gary snarled.

"Damn it, get a hold on yourself! Close Combat!"

Hitmonlee nodded and looked at his boy.

(Auto-translator: ON)

"I will be honest, son. As much as I hate it, I have to fight you. I hope you won't be too angry at me for giving you some bruises."

Tyrogue shrugged.

(I'm not made of Beedrill honey. I can take a few blows. And besides, I wasn't holding back.)

Hotmonlee gave him a surprised look.

"Really? Well, it makes things easier. Alright, I won't hold back too. Let's see how strong you've become, kiddo!"

(Oh yeah…)

The CloseCombat was delivered at the speed of sound. Yet, using the great agility he earned training alongside Ash, Tyrogue managed to dodge it all, only having a claw scratch the side of his head. As a leg passed by him, he span on himself and delivered a bone-crushing Brick Break. Hitmonlee retaliated with Double Kick. Tyrogue managed to block one strike, but the other caught him in the stomach. He rolled away and rose, growling.

"Is that all you've got? When you said you weren't holding back, I was waiting for more impressive!"

(More impressive? You just stay here…)

The boy ran full speed at his father. Sensing the threat, Hitmonlee sent a lightning-fast Close Combat, only for Tyrogue to dodge with all of his agility by cartwheeling, flipping back and forward, landing on his hands and feet alike and finally propelling himself to charge a Hi Jump Kick to generate an earthquake. His father sent a Mega Kick to counter it. Bad idea. The two attacks collided, sending a wave of crippling pain in Hitmonlee's leg. The Pokémon rolled down, caught in a world of hurt. Tyrogue landed and finished him with Rock Smash between the eyes. Gary was shocked.

"How… how could it? How could a baby Pokémon defeat a fully evolved Hitmonlee?"

Tyrogue's sole answer was to glow with a white light. Ash couldn't hold his smile. Finally! The baby Pokémon grew to reach nearly the side of his father. His body changed and became rounder while a small horn appeared atop his head. When the light faded, Tyrogue had become a Hitmontop. Johnny was wide-eyed.

"Well I never! Right after defeating his father, Ash's Tyrogue evolved into Hitmontop! What surprises does this brave Pokémon have in stores for us?"

Hitmonlee weakly saw the evolution and grinned.

"It had always been your dream to evolve into Hitmontop. I am proud of you…"

Then he passed out. Gary returned him.

"Grr… You got me on this one, but don't you think I'm gonna go easy on you! Blastoise, go!"

Ash was about to send Pikachu when Hitmontop stopped him.

(Don't worry. I can make it!)

Ash nodded.

"I trust you."

Gary looked at the creature.

"Blastoise, Hydro Cannons!"

Hitmontop grinned and jumped on his head. What followed was a perfectly performed Triple Kick that countered the two blasts of water, sending them back to Blastoise's head. Not losing time, the boy followed by a Rolling Kick straight at Blastoise's shell. The Water Starter staggered before trying to retaliate with Ice Punch. He hit. But it didn't hurt that much. However, Hitmontop's Close Combat did short work of him. One Hi Jump Kick more and the tortoise was down for the count. Gary was fuming. Silver frowned.

"I knew it. Outburst in three… two… one…"

Gary snarled.

"Alright, you have guts. A lot of guts. But the Great Gary Oak isn't over yet! Here comes one of my strongest Pokémon!"

Ash frowned. Something was off with his friend. After a moment, he finally figured it out: his rival was acting. But… why? Why acting in the middle of a fight? The boy growled as Gary boasted.

"And do not worry, this sorry excuse of a Trainer will go down in a blink. After all, am I not undefeated?"

"Cut it out, Gary. This is a Pokémon battle, not a play!"

Gary gasped, surprised by Ash's answer. The boy glared at him.

"Undefeated? Really? What about the battle at the dam? You know, the one who had Diglett problems? And your battle against Giovanni for the Earth Badge? You never got past his third Pokémon! Stop lying, Gary. You're acting and we both know it."

The boy's arrogant face abruptly dropped, turning into a scowl.

"Yes. I am lying. I'm lying to hide the ugly truth." His eyes narrowed. "I am not undefeated. I am not stronger than that damn fatherless brat in front of me! A brat I outright hate with all my guts and want to humiliate more than anything else in the world!" His voice rose until he was screaming. "That's right, I hate you, Ash Ketchum! I truly, utterly hate the blasting bastard you are! Because you are nothing, do you hear me? Nothing! Just an illegitimate kid whose mother works at a restaurant and would have never made it this far without the help of some fucking silver-haired stranger from nowhere! Who's he, anyway? What the hell is he! I am Professor Oak's grandson! With Grandpa's help, I should have become the very best! And no, that guy comes and turns a lowlife meant to be my sidekick into a fucking hero! I hate you, Ash! Do you hear me? I hate you! I despise you and your so absurdly strong Pokémon I have no ideas how the hell they became that good! Who do you think you are, damn it?"

The whole stadium gasped at Gary's outburst. Silver winced. He somehow knew there was something wrong with Gary, but he never thought it would be that bad. Ash, who had extended his Aura, staggered back as a violent force pushed him away. Gary took a poke-ball.

(Play [Rage Awakened](https://youtu.be/wO6y5ve-xzQ), Birth by Sleep)

"Alakazam, blast him to oblivion!"

The Psychic Pokémon appeared, an inhumane scream emerging from his mouth. Hitmontop froze. He knew he was weak against Psychic Pokémon, but this Alakazam wasn't like the others. Indeed, the creature was one of Gary' favorites. He and his Trainer shared a link. Today, this link proved crucial to the battle as Gary's rage used it to reach the Psi Pokémon. The effect was instant: Alakazam became a roaring berserker with spoons the side of spears and enough power to make the rocks of the place levitate. Ash gulped.

"I'm dead…"

"You are, Ashie-boy. Alakazam, use Psychic!"

Hitmontop instantly placed himself between Ash and the attack. The strength of the mental wav crushed him against the platform. His Trainer winced s he heard bones crack.

"No… ways…"

He looked at his fallen friend and saw his eyes. Unable to move, Hitmontop could only communicate with his face. And he was apologizing. Tears went to the boy's eyes.

"Don't be sorry. You did your best. I am the one at fault for not having predicted such a situation."

He took a poké-ball. Pikachu was useless in such a situation. No, he needed someone who really had the edge against a Psychic type. A Pokémon called Mightyena. Clenching his fist, he threw the ball.

"Nightsong, go! I need your help!"

The female hyena appeared, slightly surprised that Ash used her full True Name. Then she saw the problem.

"Might-hyena…" (Oh, Darkrai…)

Ash held the fence of the platform.

"I'm sorry to put you into so much trouble, Night, but Alakazam's gone wild and you're the only one immune to his powers. Hope was crushed in a single attack."

The hyena nodded. Right, she has a no-sell to most of that guy's attacks. Didn't mean it would be easy. Gary raised a brow.

"You moron! Did you think I wouldn't have taught Alakazam to defend himself against your kind? Focus Blast!"

Nightsong jumped aside to avoid the sphere. Gary started to relentlessly attack the creature, not giving Ash time to place a counter. Silver growled and turned to Goodshow.

"Charles, I have a favor to ask!"

"What is it?" The old man asked.

"Allow Ash to use his Aura Powers. Usually, such action is forbidden because of its unfairness, but Gary's already using psychic powers to control Alakazam, putting Ash to a disadvantage."

Goodshow looked at the fight. Mightyena was getting exhausted and Ash was in a tight spot. He nodded.

"He can. Fighting dirty for fighting dirty, better have both sides at it. Besides, I like your kid. He deserves praise, unlike Oak's bratty grandson."

Gary turned to him and everyone shivered. His eyes were glowing with an evil white light. And Alakazam's eyes were just the same.

"You just shut up! That's why I hate Ash so much! No matter what he does, he always gets all the praises while being just a good-for-nothing! What did he do to get in your favor, huh? Tell me! What did he do? Did he kiss your ass or something? I work my butt out to catch a lot of Pokémon and get many badges, and in the end I'm always nothing but 'Oak's grandson'! It's never 'Gary this, Gary that'! People only like me because my grandfather is famous, never for what I do! It drives me crazy!"

Silver frowned. Focusing his Aura, he sent a message to his student.

" _Ash, Goodshow allows you to use your Aura Powers! Do whatever you want, but win, kid!_ "

Ash grinned. Now those were good news.

" _Got it! But first, there's something I want to try._ "

Closing his eyes, he put a hand on his heart and amplified his empathic skills to reach his rival. What he was looking for was the real reason behind Gary's anger. What the boy was saying was disjointed and hard to understand. So Ash headed for the source. Fighting against the raging psychic powers, he turned his Aura into an invisible arrow and sent it straight to his rival. As soon as the link was made, he dived into his heart. What he found made him freeze in horror.

Ash knew Gary had lost his parents in an accident and had then been adopted by Oak. For ages and ages, the boy used the fame that came from being related to the old man, behaving like he owned Pallet Town and so, but deep inside, he felt lonely. Lonely and sad. Having no relatives apart from the professor, the child had no one to play with or have fun. Worse, the other children kept their distances as they put him on a pedestal he simply couldn't get off. So he developed a strong superiority complex, behaving like everything was his due and he truly was the prince of Pallet. Oak's spoiling didn't help the matter. And in all of this, there was Ash.

Yes, little Ash Ketchum, the boy who lived at the restaurant. The two had met at an early age; Ash had no one besides his father, Gary had no one besides his grandfather. The two bonded quickly and became friends, but it wasn't enough to the child. He needed more than just a friend. Ash's company didn't prevent the apparition of his complex. Being the closest to him, it was the poor black head who took the blunt of Gary's arrogance. It started slowly, and from then only got worse. The more Gary became arrogant and haughty, the more Ash suffered. He would have broken weren't it for Silver's presence.

To Gary, Ash was a foil, a sidekick to follow him around and show just how much he was great. But Silver gave Ash the means to fight back. Gary took his knowledge and science from his grandfather while Ash took it from his adoptive father. The two became at odds, Gary unable to understand how a lowly stranger could turn his subordinate into his equal. To him, Ash would never be his equal, it was as simple as that. Because he couldn't accept it. The two were too different, too opposite. They couldn't be on the same level. Either Ash was weaker than him or he was stronger. And Gary's pride disabled him from accepting Ash as stronger.

Ash closed his eyes. Sorrow, loneliness, arrogance, anger, those were the feelings he could sense in his friend's heart. And it made him cry. For to Ash, Gary was a friend. A bad friend, but still a friend. He swore to himself he would save Gary from his feelings, but he knew that, to do this, he'd have to break him. The thought didn't please him at all, but he had no choice. Gary had built himself an armor of conceit and anger to fight against his pain. The young Aura Wielder would have to rip it apart, even f it meant giving his friend a trauma. Then he would heal him. After all, he was a Healer. He closed his eyes and focused it on Mightyena.

" _Hold on, Nightsong! Here we go!_ "

The Bite Pokémon closed her eyes as Aura flowed into her, restoring her body and erasing her pain. Then she felt her Trainer's presence inside her.

" _What are you doing?_ "

" _I'm using our bond to possess you of sorts. Aura gives me a special set of powers. I want to see if you can use it too._ "

" _You aren't sure of yourself, are you?_ "

" _Yeah, sorry. It's the first time I'm doing that kind of stuff. I don't even know how to explain it but I have the idea and it's all that matters. I'll be trying to synchronize with you through Aura._ "

" _Well, if you think we can defeat this mad 'mon this way, I trust you. I'm kinda out of ideas at the moment._ "

" _I'm not._ "

Slowly, Ash extended his Aura to his Pokémon in a similar fashion to that of psychics. He wasn't sure it would work but Sabrina had explained him how psychic powers worked and he wanted to see if he could do the same with Aura. Soon, he felt himself within Mightyena.

" _It's strange to see through your eyes!_ "

Suddenly, a Shadow Ball came straight at the female's face. Reacting instantly, Ash used Aura Vision. And the sphere slowed down. Nightsong jumped aside two seconds before it hit her. Her Trainer cheered.

" _It works! That should do it. I'll use Aura to strengthen your body and foresee attacks and you use your powers to crush this guy!_ "

An Energy Ball came. Nightsong jumped away again.

" _I like that power! Okay, time for a counterattack!_ "

She ran at Alakazam, her speed greater thanks to Ash's Aura pulsating through her body. His consciousness inside her, the young Trainer could feel her every feelings. And it was awesome. The creature's muscular body was a wonder of strength, speed and agility and her senses were sharper than his. Alakazam rushed and delivered a Psycho Cut, only for Mightyena to jump, catch the spoon in her jaws and crush it with a powerful Crunch. Alakazam tried to retaliate with Ice Punch. Ash made her jump aside and hit him in the back with Dark Pulse. Alakazam span and hit her with the back of his second spoon. It didn't matter. Mightyena bounced on a rock and threw a Shadow Ball that connected with an Energy Ball. Alakazam rushed for Thunder Punch. Using Sucker Punch, Ash and his partner struck first. Safrina frowned.

"Silver, tell Ash to end the fight quickly! The longer it lasts, the angrier Gary becomes and the stronger he turns Alakazam!"

"And how does he do this?"

"By breaking the link between Trainer and Pokémon. He should be able to see it thanks to his Aura. A good Crunch or a Dark, Bug or Ghost attack should do it."

Silver nodded and told the info to his student. Ash grinned.

"Got it! I'll do my best!"

Using his Aura senses through his fighting partner, he managed to perceive the bond that united his friend and his Pokémon. Sensing the threat, Gary summoned all of Alakazam's psychic powers in a whirlwind of floating stones. This didn't stop Nightsong. Focusing her energy, she created the biggest Shadow Ball she had ever made and sent it to the tornado. The attack burst the stone shield, giving her a clear way to her target. She then unleashed a powerful Dark Pulse that knocked Alakazam away, then rushed at him. Gary growled as he tried in vain to push his Pokémon further. It was useless. The Shadow Ball-Dark Pulse had heavily worn the creature off. He did manage to send a Focus Blast, but Mightyena effortlessly dodged it and closed her jaws on the psychic link between Gary and the Psi Pokémon. Gary held his head and jerked back in pain. An inhumane shriek came from his mouth as the rupture of the link reaped his mind apart and left him blank-eyed on the platform, limp as a ragdoll. On the field, Alakazam stiffened, a silent cry of agony coming from his light brown muzzle. Ash's consciousness returned to his body.

"Wow, that was intense…"

(End music)

Silver sighed.

"Phew, that was close."

He got out of the bleachers and came to his student. Ash turned to him and leaped in his arms. Silver grinned and hugged him.

"I can't believe things turned out that way. It was meant to be a fight! Just a fight!"

"I didn't think Gary had that much rage inside him either. In any cse, you did an excellent job, kiddo."

Ash nodded and returned Mightyena.

"Thank you, Night. You were awesome during that battle. I would have never made it without your help."

Noticing he was yawning, Silver caressed his head.

"Get some rest, Little Ashling. You too deserve it."

Nodding, the boy closed his eyes and rested his head in the man's neck. Silver turned to Goodshow and made him a silent gesture. Goodshow nodded. Gary and Ash were sent to a hospital where they could sleep in peace while the elder adults discussed in a private room.

"Well." Lance frowned. "Where do we start?"

Lorelei thought a little.

"I wonder if we should make this fight count. Too many rules were broken and the outcome was disastrous."

"Indeed it was." Bruno shivered. "The battlefield was wrecked and won't be usable for several days. And I don't talk about the state of both Ash and Gary."

"Ash is fine." Silver reassured. "He just exhausted himself using his Aura. All he needs is to rest. Gary's state is more worrying."

"You are right." Agatha gloomily sighed. "By breaking the bond between he and his Pokémon, Ash basically shattered his mind. It will take him time to recover. If he ever does."

Goodshow closed his eyes. Lance looked at the group.

"So, what do we do? Do we make this fight count or not?"

"We do." Goodshow decided. "Gary and Ash may have broken the rules, but in the end, could we say there were any? Gary was blind with rage. Adding to the bond he shared with Alakazam, it made him turn his Pokémon berserk. Ash merely retaliated by using his own natural Aura powers to help Mightyena and win the fight. When it comes down to it, the two were on equal ground. And Ash won. Ash wins this fight and goes to the finals."

His voice being the law, the four Elites could only agree. Silver grinned.

"Thanks for giving the kid a chance, Goodshow."

"That's because he's worth it." The elder man replied as they left the room.


	28. A new friend

Welcome to our family time,  
Welcome to our brotherly time!  
We're happy, givin' and takin'  
To the friends we're makin'  
There's nothing we won't do!

Welcome to our family time,  
Welcome to our happy-to-be time!  
This is our festival, you know  
And best of all:  
We're here to share it all!  
[Welcome](https://youtu.be/Jf7kymTAjqc), Phil Collins

Hitmontop's eyes fluttered. The room he was in was dark, with the blinds only leaving thin rays of light enter. The Pokémon growled. His body was in a world of pain. He closed his eyes, recollecting the past events. His reunion with his father, the fight against him and Blastoise … and then, Alakazam's berserk attack on him as he stood to protect Ash. Arceus, did that thing hurt… The door opened and a Blissey appeared. Hitmontop tried to turn to her.

"Oh, you're awake, I see." The nurse Pokémon sing-sang.

The creature tried to move his hands, not to avail. There was something blocking them. Blissey understood his problem.

"Don't worry. Your Trainer's mentor warned us that you were mute. Well, let's do it this way: blink twice for Yes and once for No. Okay?"

Grinning weakly, the Fighting type blinked twice. Blissey nodded.

"You may want to know what happened while you were unconscious, right?"

Two blinks.

"Alright, then. You were crushed by Alakazam's Psychic. A good part of your bones were broken but we managed to save you in-extremist. A chance your Trainer returned you to your poke-ball ASAP, it helped stabilize you till the match was over. And when I say match…" The creature shivered. "I heard it was horrible. Gary and Alakazam had gone all mad. Your Trainer almost lost, but he used a strange power called Aura to help his Mightyena get the upper hand. In the end, they broke the link between Alakazam and his Trainer, and it caused him to break his mind as well. Poor kid… Anyway, Mightyena was sent here alongside you but left no long ago. Your Trainer must be resting. Apparently, he suffered from overworking himself during the fight."

Hitmontop closed his eyes. So Ash prevailed, in the end. He should thank Nightsong later. Blissey kept speaking.

"We gave you our best treatment and put you in a full-body cast. That's why you can't move. And if you're wondering, we're in the middle of the fifth day of the Conference. You didn't sleep that long."

Nodding the best he could, Hitmontop blinked twice. He let the creature feed him and closed his eyes. Now, all he had to do was wait. He wondered if Ash was really sleeping. After all, he had a fight, today. Or so he thought.

Ash woke up in his room. To the weight on his stomach, he guessed Axew was sleeping with him. Growling, he slowly realized he was lying against something thick and warm, and yet very soft. Shifting his head allowed him to see Silver's sleeping face nested against his own. The man opened his sapphire eyes as soon as he sensed his student was awake.

"Heya, kid. Slept well?"

"Yeah."

Ash stretched, causing Axew to growl. The tiny Dragon raised his sleepy head to him and emitted a "Eww." as a hello. Ash petted him. Cute little critter. Rising on his behind, he looked around to notice Pikachu was strangely missing. Silver grinned.

"Your Pokémon are in the garden. Pikachu is with them. Mightyena just came back from the Center, but Hitmontop's still here."

Ash frowned when he heard the creature's name. After having defeated Hitmonlee and Blastoise, the mute Pokémon had been crushed by Alakazam's raging Psychic. He frowned.

"How is he doing?"

"They put him in a full-body cast, given the number of broken bones he'd gotten. His life isn't endangered but it will take him time before he recovers."

"And… Gary?"

Silver sighed.

"His mind broke when you crushed the link that was uniting him to Alakazam. Right now, he is in a hospital bed. His state… is very close to that of a vegetable."

Ash clenched his fists and looked down.

"…I'm sorry. I never wanted that to happen. I really didn't think he had it that bad against me."

"No one did, kid. You did what you had to do. Had you not used Aura to fight back, you would have been the one in the hospital." Silver sighed. "Gary was utterly furious. It's actually a good thing that you broke him. Now you can help him rebuild himself. That's what they do with old rotten buildings: they destroy them."

The boy still felt bad.

"I should pay him a visit. What did Goodshow decide for the match?"

"You've won. You and Gary were fighting on equal grounds, which means that, even though it's banned to use psychic powers or Aura, the battle wasn't unfair. Besides, try to reason a berserker like your rival… Sabrina herself was scared, that's to say! But you've won. You go in the finals, kiddo."

This brought a smile on Ash's face. Good new. Rising from the bed, he headed for the cafeteria when Silver spoke again.

"Charles has agreed to give you a day of rest. The finals will start tomorrow so you can take all the respite you need. Make good use of it. Also, Delia and Samuel should be here by now, alongside Angelo and Leaf. When they saw the disaster that was your fight, they became extremely worried."

"Then I'll see if I meet them. You're coming, Baby Tooth?"

The little Axew yapped and jumped in his father's arms. After a quick cleaning in the bathroom, he went to the cafeteria where he reunited with Misty, Brock and Simon. The red head almost jumped in his arms.

"Ash! Thanks Heavens you're okay!"

"Don't worry, Big Brother." I was just tired."

Axew started to play with Togepi at the bottom of the table. After swallowing two bagels and a bowl of chocolate milk, the boy turned to his friends.

"Well, how do you do?"

"We should be the ones asking you that. How do you feel?"

"Hungry. Using Aura is taxing but it's incredible, really!"

"How did you win, exactly?" Misty asked. "The place was in so much chaos that we didn't really got what was happening."

Ash grinned.

"I used my Aura powers to enter Mightyena and 'synchronize' with her, in a way. I was sensing through her senses and my Aura was strengthening her, but she was the one in control. I just helped her with Aura vision and told her what to do. Man, that was awesome! It's weird to feel inside a Pokémon, but that's also totally amazing! You can sense how strong their bodies are, how it is to use attacks… I wish you could do it too, it's really worth a shot."

"Really?"

The group turned to see Angelo and Leaf standing in the doorway. The two kids went to sit at the table, Angelo's hairs shining under the sun.

"We saw your fight on TV. Man, you were a badass back then! Challenging Gary when he was totally mad, now that takes guts! And it takes real skills to actually beat him!"

The boy shrugged.

"Still cost me nearly a day of sleep. And I heard Hitmontop's still at the Center. A lot of his bones were broken."

Leaf frowned.

"When you say Hitmontop, you're talking about your mute Tyrogue?"

"Yeah, he finally evolved. Took Hitmonlee and Blastoise all by himself. But… Alakazam..."

"Yeah, it didn't end well. That apart, how 'bout you two?"

The pair grinned. Leaf was doing well at the nursery and had oriented her Pokémon toward healing and supporting moves. Also, her Jigglypuff had evolved into a Wigglytuff. Angelo was taking a very good care of the Magnemite Ash had given him and his Pichu had become a hand pet that always climbed and crawled all over his body. His favorite spot was the hood of his jacket. It was the only place the little electric mouse agreed to sleep. The chit-chat over, Ash went to the garden … and almost crumbled when all of his friends jumped in his arms. Between Haunter, Sandslash and Bulbasaur's hugs, Mightyena and Aerodactyl's licks and the nuzzling the others were giving him, the boy thought he would die. Only a few Thunderbolts from Pikachu managed to keep them afar.

"I get it you guys were worried for me. Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just that using my powers tired me a lot."

Clefable nodded.

(I saw the fight against Gary. It was fearsome. And Hitmontop… as much as I'm happy he finally evolved and reunited with his father, if I meet Gary or Alakazam, they're done for! No shit, what had gotten to their head, going on a rampage in the full middle of the fight!?)

Charizard growled.

(He was furious. That's as simple as that. Furious and jealous because of Ash's talent.)

Fearow nodded.

(If Gary had worked harder during last month instead of slacking off and relying on his caught Pokémon, he would have been a much bigger threat. Ash never stopped working. And I don't simply talk about the Elites. That's why he won. Also, as mentioned, there are his Aura Powers.)

(If Ash was normal and couldn't use Aura, Goodshow would have stopped the fight, at all costs.) Butterfree remarked. (Otherwise, the match would have been unfair.)

The butterfly had a valid point. His Trainer stretched.

"Well, that apart, I have to pick a new team for tomorrow. Then I'll go check Hitmontop." He turned to Mightyena. "You did an excellent job, Nightsong. I would have never made it without your help."

(You're welcome. Feeling you inside of me was strange, but now I know how it feels to have Aura. And I like that.)

"Just as I liked feeling inside of you. I didn't think you had such an athletic body. And now I know how it is when a Pokémon uses an attack."

Since the Finals required a full Pokémon team, Ash first checked his opponent. It was Assunta, a girl from Lazuli Town who owned a Rhydon, Venomoth, Ivysaur, Spearow, Lickylicky and Golduck. After some thinking, the kid decided to go for Pikachu, Wartortle, Wigglytuff, Aerodactyl, Clefable and Fearow. Next thing he did was pay a visit to Hitmontop. When he saw the Fighting type trapped in his cast, he winced.

"You really had it that bad, did you?" He came to the Pokémon and caressed him. "Right after you evolved. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

Hitmontop grinned weakly, kindness in his eyes. Ash could feel Hope didn't bear any ill-will toward him. He was just doing his job, that is: to protect his Trainer. After that, there were ups and downs. His Trainer nodded.

"I hope your injuries won't be too serious that you have to stop fighting. You're really good at that, you know? And it would make Starlight sad..."

Hope sighed and nodded the best he could. He and the Fairy Pokémon were training buddies but, recently, he was starting to feel strange around her. And he had no ideas what it was. Closing his eyes, Ash let his Aura flow softly inside his friend. The being shivered.

"I heard people could heal using Aura. I wonder of Silver could teach me to do it. Also, once you get better, I'll use the pendant to heal your wounds faster. I always have it on me, but I don't have to use it this often."

Hitmontop smiled. Right, this famous pendant made by the Ancients. Blood on the cross protected while blood on the sun healed. Ash had his life saved this way, when he and Gary had been attacked by Mankey. The boy rose.

"I heard mom and Professor Oak are around. I gotta visit them. Later!"

Finding the two didn't take long. Oak was understandably at Gary's side. Delia was with him, her hands crossed before her. When she saw her son, she hugged him tightly.

"Ash, you're alright!"

"Yeah … How is Gary?"

Samuel Oak turned to him.

"Not as well as you do, I'm afraid."

Lying in white hospital clothes, the brown-haired kid was lying motionlessly, his eyes devoid of any feeling. Ash instantly felt guilty for his actions. Sure, he didn't like Gary that much, but there were limits…

"According to Sabrina, his psyche has completely shattered. She thinks he can recover, but it will take long."

"At least he can. Makes me wonder how he will be when he gets back."

He went to his rival and held his hand.

"Gary … if you hear me, I want you to know that I'm sorry. I didn't know you had so much pain and anger in you. I should've realized it sooner. Please, forgive me. I had no choice ..."

He placed his forehead on the inanimate limb, a single tear falling from his eyes, then left. His mother joined him outside.

"Ash, wait!"

The kid turned to her. Delia took his head.

"You don't have to feel guilty over it. Gary was on a rampage and you did what you had to do to stop him."

"I know. Silver already told me. I still wish there was anther way."

"There wasn't. Only a Psychic of Sabrina's level or an Aura Guardian could have stopped him." Suddenly, Ash was caught in a tight hug. "Aura Guardians used to be peacekeepers across the world. What you did was exactly what any other Guardian would have done: fight evil and stop it."

"But Gary isn't evil! He's just..."

"Tormented by his feelings, yes. Don't worry. I know that you will help Gary recover from his mind break. If there's someone out there who can do it, it's you. After all, you're a Healer that heals hearts, right?"

The boy grinned. His mother was right. Delia caressed his cheek.

"Well, do you know who you will face tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Assunta. I already know who I'll take."

His mother smiled.

"I am eager to see your next battle. It promises to be very interesting!"

"Yep!"

He decided to go to the park so Axew could play a little. The young Dragon was only a few days old, but as a kid, he needed to go and play with other Pokémon his age, like he did with Togepi. Luckily, there were lots of young Pokémon in the park. Also, Misty and Angelo had the same idea as Ash and were in the area, playing with Togepi and Pichu under Pikachu's vigilant eyes. Suddenly, a rustling was heard, coming from a bush. Pikachu, Staryu and Jolteon immediately stepped between the two kids.

"Pika?"

Instead of a Persian or an Arbok, it was a small Pikachu that appeared. The funny part was that the creature had a tuft of hairs on his head, which made it distinguishable from Pikachu. The yellow mouse frowned and went to the newcomer.

"Pikachu?" (Who are you?)

Raising his ears, the hairy mouse looked at his kindred.

"Pikapi Kachu. Pikachu ka pikapika kachu ka Chupi" (My name is Sparky. I belong to a Trainer called Ritchie.)

Nodding, Pikachu turned to Ash and raised his thumb. The boy nodded.

"Nothing to be afraid of, then."

"Sparky?"

The haired Pikachu turned to see his Trainer come.

"Ah, Sparky! I've been looking for you for half an hour! Where have you been?"

Then he saw the three adult Pokémon and the babies they were protecting.

"Oh? I've never seen these Pokémon before."

Rising from his seat, Ash took Axew and let Pikachu climb his shoulder.

"I'm Ash. And you are?"

"Ritchie. Sparky here is my Pokémon… Wait, you're the Ash Ketchum? Moltres's Chosen?"

The boy nodded, unsure about the excitation he sensed in the young Trainer's voice. Ritchie was a boy with spiky auburn hairs and dark blue eyes. His head was covered by a blue cap with a yellow band and he was wearing a green T-shirt and pants of the same color with yellow outlines. A leaf-tainted sleeveless jacket was covering his back and his feet were clad in two blue sneakers. Ash nodded.

"Yeah, that's me. Why do you ask?"

"I'm one of your biggest fans! I've heard of all your accomplishments in the League!"

The kid couldn't help but blush.

"Oh… really? And, what can I do to help you?"

Misty giggled.

"Ash has never been at ease with fame. Contrary to Gary."

"Yeah." Angelo grinned. "That's what makes him so nice. He isn't looking forward to be acknowledged. He just wants to get better and help others."

Sensing Ash wasn't at ease, Ritchie calmed down.

"Well… there are several things I want to ask."

"What kinds?"

"Advices, mainly… if you mind sharing your secrets."

This made Ash laugh.

"There are no secrets. I just train my Pokémon alone."

Angelo chuckled.

"And they're not the only ones. What the kid doesn't tell you, it's that he trains alongside them!"

Deciding Ritchie was someone nice, Ash decided to help him. He took the boy to the garden where his team was resting. Ritchie was pleased to meet with his friend's partners.

"They all look perfectly healthy and powerful! Are they really as strong as they say?"

"All of them. And yes, before you ask, I did defeat a Zapdos and slice a Hyper Beam in two."

Axew immediately went to see Mightyena, who was resting under a tree. The hyena raised her head and took him under her paw, then started to clean him from the top pf his protrusion to the tip of his tail. Axew was giggling all along. Ritchie looked at him.

"What's this Pokémon? I've never seen him before."

"It's an Axew. Lance gave it to me as an egg, saying he comes from a very faraway region. I think Silver mentioned Unova. Also, it's a full Dragon Pokémon. The one who's taking care of his is his surrogate mother, Mightyena. She comes from Hoenn but the plane she was in crashed in the forest near the Great Giva Dam. At that time, she was a simple Poochyena." He turned to his new friend. "Well, enough talking about me. Can I see your Pokémon?"

"Of course!"

Six Pokémon appeared. Along Sparky, there was a Charmeleon, a Butterfree, a Tentacool, a Nidorina and a Poliwrath. Ash frowned.

"Do you have any other?"

"No. Just these ones."

The boy nodded.

"They look healthy. But half of them aren't fully evolved. Not that I have anything against non-evolved Pokémon. My Bulbasaur and Haunter both have a jewel with an Everstone on them. But entering the League with such a team is risky. I'm surprised you made it to the finals."

"Hey, I'm resourceful. But, actually, I'm worried because my next opponent is A. J. And they all say he's very strong."

Ash looked down.

"You're right, he is. I challenged him at the beginning of my journey. Couldn't get past his Sandshrew. But Silver avenged me later on. Well, if you want me to help, I must first see what your Pokémon can do."

Taking his Pokédex, he checked Sparky. The electric mouse knew Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Swift, Volt Tackle, Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave. Next was Charmeleon, or Zippo. The Starter knew Scratch, Fire Fang, Flamethrower, Rock Smash and Fire Spin. Happy the Butterfree knew Silver Wind, Quiver Dance, Confusion and Acrobatics. Aqua the Tentacool was able to use Water Pulse, Acid Spray, Wrap, Surf and Double Team. Dora the Nidorina could use Double Kick, Dig, Poison Tail/Venoshock and Super Fang. Finally, Whirl the Poliwrath had Low Sweep, Focus Blast, Bulk Up, Hydro Pump and Mud Bomb. Ash nodded.

"I see. For Aqua and Whirl, I'll give you advices, but my friend Misty is the real Water specialist. If you want help, I suggest you go and see her. However, I can help for the others."

First, he came to Sparky. Having had a Pikachu for Starter, he knew how to train one well.

"There are two moves Sparky should learn as a must. These moves are Agility and Iron Tail. Agility will increase Sparky's speed and evasiveness to a higher level. For having used it many times, I know that an Agility-powered Volt Tackle or Quick Attack can be devastating. And thanks to the speed boosts, Sparky will be even harder to touch, which is an excellent thing given how fragile Pikachu are. Next, there is Iron Tail. It's a very good attack that can be very useful when used correctly, like when a Ground Pokémon uses Dig. Slam the ground with Iron Tail to make an Earthquake substitute and the Pokémon is out like a light. And it's in general a very good offensive move, though…

A smile crossed his face. Ritchie raised a brow.

"Though what?"

"Though, since Sparky knows Electro Ball, I may be able to teach you a new move I came with. I call it Mjollnir."

The kid's eyes lit.

"You mean the Thunder Tail move?"

"Yeah. Actually, I called it Mjollnir because it's also the name of a legendary weapon that harnessed lightning. Once you master it, you can call it whatever you want."

"Great! I can't wait!"

Sparky too was excited. Next, Ash took care of Zippo. The Charmeleon's main problem was the lack of diversity in his attacks. Ash suggested he upgraded Scratch into Slash and learn Solar Beam to protect itself from Water, Rock and Ground types. He also advised the kid to teach some stronger Fire moves and a few Dragon moves, namely: Dragon Rush and Dragon Tail. When it came to Happy, Bug Buzz was a must. Instead of Solar Beam, Energy Ball was a good move to go against Rock Pokémon while U-Turn and Aerial Ace were a good addition to the butterfly's arsenal. Finally, the creature had to upgrade Confusion into Psybeam or Psychic for greater efficiency.

Though he had advised his new friend to see Misty for Aqua and Whirl, Ash still offered Ritchie to teach Sludge Wave and Hex to counter Psychic, as well as Ice Beam or Aurora Beam. Dora had to learn Crunch and Shadow Claws against Psychic creatures, as well as Ice Beam, Iron Tail and stronger Poison moves. Finally, he went against Ritchie's offer to learn Dynamic Punch due to how low the accuracy was. Instead, Whirl would better learn Ice Punch against Grass and Flying opponents, as well as Earthquake for added effect against Electric Pokémon. Then, at the kid's behalf, they started training.

"The first problem your team has is that your moves are weak or average-leveled. You should try to learn more damaging attacks, such as Hydro Pump or Thunderbolt. Another thing is that your team isn't diverse enough. Half of it will be crushed by a Psychic Pokémon while the other half is done if a Ground type enters the field. And it just happens that A. J.'s strongest partner is a Sandslash … So, if he ever uses that thing, go for Aqua, Happy or Whirl. Aqua and Whirl can take it off with Water and Ice attacks while Happy is immune to ground. Never ever use Sparky, Dora or Zippo. It will be a certified one-hit KO."

Ritchie nodded. Since training Agility was exhausting, they chose to save it for another day and work Iron Tail instead.

"First, you have to harden your Pokémon's tail until it's as hard as steel. After it, you have to make him hit a piece of lumber or a rock till he makes it break."

As a demo, the boy had Pikachu slice a piece of wood in two clean halves. The Pokémon instantly went to work. In a corner, Butterfree was helping Happy learn Bug Buzz while Zippo was bathing in the sun along Charizard. It was a prerequisite to using Solar Beam. Aqua and Whirl were with Misty, who was teaching the Tentacool Hydro Pump and Dive to the other. The night finally came and Ash invited Ritchie to join them for dinner. Delia was preparing a delicious cookout and, s a restaurant holder, her food was always of great quality.

Ritchie was surprised by how many people were present. He was also glad to meet Ash's elder brother Simon and Silver, the boy's mentor/father figure. Bonding with them was fast, just as fast as it had been for him and Ash to share a bond. Before they separated, they bid each other goodbye.

"Good night, Ritchie. And be careful with A. J. tomorrow!"

"Yeah. Good luck against Assunta!"

As they headed to their room, Ash turned to Silver.

"Say, what do you think of Ritchie, dad?"

Silver grinned.

"He's a good kid. He may not have the same talent and skills as you do, but give him some time and he should become good enough. He's a sweet someone too. I feel you two will become close in the future."

"True that! We're already friends."

The next morning, he came to the main area where his battle against Assunta was to take place. The girl was a blue haired maiden wearing a red qipao and black boots. She took a poké-ball.

" At last we meet, Ash Ketchum. I am curious to see what you're capable of."

"Same here. To make it this far with your team, you must be a tricky fighter."

The woman nodded.

"Yep. And you'll be on the receiving end of it! Go, Spearow!"

In the booth, Johnny O'Martian took the microphone.

"And here we are! The first battle of the final rounds has started, and it opposes Assunta from Lavender Town to Ash Ketchum! Let's get ready to rumble!"

(Play [Are you ready for this](https://youtu.be/pcLZwTU3qDk), Jock Jams)

"Spearow, huh? Alright. Fearow, I choose you!"

Fearow appeared in a flash of green light, his tall wings blocking the sun to his non-evolved counterpart. The little Spearow froze. How was he meant to face that!? Assunta sensed the threat.

"Spearow, Double Team! Chain with Drill Peck!"

"Withstand it!"

Spearow divided itself into hundreds of images that assaulted the giant Flying Pokémon. Fearow shrugged most of the blows.

"Follow with Quick Attack!"

The move hit Fearow straight in the chest. He didn't move. Ash grinned.

"Alright, our turn. Fearow, Razor Wind!"

Fearow grinned. Time to counterattack! He fully opened his wings and took flight, then span on himself to send crescent-shaped blades to the Tiny Bird. Spearow was a little out of balance after that.

"Follow with Assurance!"

His body glowing pink, the Beak Pokémon sent Spearow crashing against a wall. The little flier didn't rise. Assunta was shocked.

"Well I never! That thing shrugs our attacks and crushes Spearow in two moves! Alright, here we go. Rhydon, go!"

Ash frowned. Rhydon could use Rock attacks and Fearow was rather weak against them. Wartortle, however … Returning his partner, he got the Water Starter.

"Wartortle, here we go!"

"War!"

The blue-haired girl froze. This Pokémon was bad news …

"Rhydon, Thunderbolt!"

"Deflect it with Rapid Spin!"

Spinning on himself, Wartortle managed to push back the electric beam.

"Let's end this quickly! I wanna see how Ritchie is doing against A. J. Go, Hydro Cannons!"

"Oh no… Dig!"

Ash frowned as the blast missed. Now his partner was paralyzed and Rhydon could get out anywhere. Indeed, the stone rhino appeared in his back with Thunder Punch. The move shocked Wartortle and sent him flying but, performing an aerial recovery, the Pokémon channeled Hydro Cannons once more. The blow sent Rhydon to the ground, from which it didn't rise. Two down. Assunta growled.

"Alright. Ivysaur, go! And use Energy Ball!"

Ash grinned.

"Iron Defense!"

Withdrawing inside his shell, Wartortle hardened it to the point it was like steel. The green ball bounced on it.

"Follow with Leaf Storm!"

As the storm of razor-sharp leaves surrounded Wartortle, Ash gave an order.

"Combine Rapid Spin and Ice Beam!"

Wartortle grinned. He knew what his friend wanted. The result of the combo was the complete freezing of the storm. Assunta was green.

"You damn… I didn't make it this far to..."

"Ice Beam!"

"Lose."

The freezing attack struck Ivysaur dead on. As a finish, Wartortle used Ice Punch. The Grass Starter didn't rise. Moody, its Trainer called Venomoth. Ash returned Wartortle.

"You did well enough for today. Aerodactyl, you're next!"

The prehistoric Pokémon appeared to face the poison moth. Ash grinned.

"It's gonna be short. Stone Edge!"

The tiny rock splinters hit Venomoth like bullets. Recovering, the creature focused and sent a burst of psychic energy, only for the Fossil Pokémon to recover in midair and channel a huge white sphere. Assunta's eyes were like saucers.

"Ancient Power… We're screwed."

And it didn't help that Aerodactyl was a prehistoric Pokémon. Being a relic of the past, his Ancient Power was even more powerful than a regular attack. The collision with the purple moth caused a crater on the ground. Assunta sighed.

"Makes me wonder if I should give up now or keep going… Okay, let's try Golduck."

The blue duck appeared. Ash looked at the electric mouse on his shoulder.

"Pikachu..."

"Chu!"

His opponent face-palmed.

"I knew I should have given up. Golduck, Hydro Pump."

"Pikachu, Volt Tackle."

True to his name of Fleeting Flash, the little electric rodent rushed straight through the blast of water and hit Golduck full force, adding an Electro Ball to secure the job. Assunta nodded.

"Alright, I give up. Whatever else he has in store, there's no ways I can beat it."

(End music)

Johnny grinned.

"Looks like our Lavender Town challenger wasn't ready for it, in the end! And Ash Ketchum goes to the semi-finals! But… where is he going?"

As soon as he had won, Ash had rushed outside the arena to go to the one where Ritchie was fighting. When he finally made it, people were getting out.

"No ways! I'm coming too late?"

He ran inside until he found his friend sitting on a bench, his head down. Looks like the fight didn't end well …

"Hey… you okay?"

Ritchie sighed.

"He crushed me. With a single Pokémon. He gave me no chance ..."

Ash frowned. No wonder the boy had it hard. He sat at his side.

"How did it go? What Pokémon did he use against you?"

"...Dragonite."

The Aura Guardian froze. When he met him at the beginning of the week, A. J. had a Dragonair. It seemed the creature evolved at some point. He frowned. Dragon Pokémon were renowned for their strength. He knew it for having fought against Lance, the Dragon master. Ritchie was too green to stand a chance against a Dragonite. A Dragonair, maybe, but not a Dragonite. He rubbed the kid's back.

"It really was that bad?"

"We tried everything. When we landed an attack, that thing shrug it off like nothing and beat us in a single move. Even Whirl didn't do much against him, and with Sparky, it's my strongest teammate."

Ash frowned.

"I hope for A. J. he didn't do it on purpose. I admit, I more or less did the same to Assunta, but it was only because I wanted to see your fight and she still landed a few points. But crushing someone like that … Did he say anything to you? Like a word of encouragement or anything?"

"Not like that." The boy clenched his fist. "He said that I was too young and it was a miracle that I'd come this far, but I should learn my place and return to my mother. He said I had no chance from the start with a team like mine and he was surprised that I didn't give up when I knew I'd face him..."

His friend clenched his teeth.

"And here I thought Gary was a prick… According to the board, my next opponent would be the winner of your fight. It means that, tomorrow, I'm challenging A. J. He better be ready..." Rising from his seat, he made a few steps away. "You're a friend, Ritchie. According to Silver, with some good work, you can become an excellent Trainer. What A. J. did was unforgivable."

The boy raised his head, his eyes bathed with tears.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Watch my fight, tomorrow. That bastard is in for a good lesson. No one hurts my friends and get away with it. _No one._ "

As he left the arena, he met with Assunta, who was in a not so good mood. Taking hi cap off, he apologized.

"Sorry I have defeated you like that in the arena. A friend of mine had his battle at the same time and I wanted to see it. Usually, I don't go so hard unless I'm forced to."

The girl raised a brow.

"Really? And… how did it go?"

"It was over when I arrived. My friend was crushed… and humiliated while he was at it. I apologize for doing the same to you, it wasn't intentional."

"Alright, I'll close my eyes on that one. You'd have probably won anyway. And as you said, you wanted to see your friend."

Ash sighed. One thing out of his mind...

"Say… how about we share an ice cream? To get over it?"

The boy's eyes lit.

"Ice cream? Any day!"

And this way, it could calm his massive urge to crush the Zapdos Chosen like a fly.


	29. A clash in Heaven

I think I'll find another way,  
There's so much more to know.  
I guess I'll die another day:  
It's not my time to go.

For every sin I'll have to pay,  
I've come to work, I've come to play.  
I think I'll find another way:  
It's not my time to go.  
[Die another day](https://youtu.be/oYpnRAT40KU), Madonna

Ash walked in the garden where his Pokémon were resting. To the face he was making, they could all tell something was off. They were right.

"Listen, you guys. A. J. and Ritchie fought and Ritchie lost." This made the monsters look down. The kid had been quite nice with them. "However, instead of remaining as it is, A. J. insulted Ritchie after having crushed him with a single Pokémon. This, I find unforgivable." The boy looked down. "I admit I inflicted the same predicament to a certain number of my opponents. But I never went as far as calling them off like that. A. J. did, and he did it on a friend, which means one thing: it's become _personal_."

His Pokémon roared. All of them knew how their Trainer was toward friends and relatives. His rival had done a serious mistake that may well cost him victory. Ash looked at them all.

"But we shouldn't rush like a Tauros without planning ahead. A. J.'s good. He was chosen for a reason, and there are two Pokémon of his that represent a real threat. The first is Sandslash. As a Sandshrew, it was already quite a pest."

Butterfree, Pikachu and Clefable nodded. They remembered their defeat a little too well…

"Then there is the Pokémon who crushed Ritchie, Dragonite. It evolved during the tournament and is now a full-grown _pseudo-legendary Dragon Pokémon_. You know what it means." The 'mons nodded. "Yeah, not gonna be a pleasure cruise. That's why I'm only going to pick the best of you for this fight. Pikachu is a first. Then, Clefable said she wanted payback against Sandshrew. That apart, he has a Raticate, Tauros, Pinsir and Flareon. It means Bulbasaur and Haunter are out."

Charizard stepped and roared loudly, his eyes blazing. The boy nodded.

"Right, you'll actually do well against Dragonite. I'll take Wartortle too, against Flareon. Now, only two more left..."

Pidgeot and Sandslash stepped before the group. The boy nodded.

"Right, okay for you two. Sandslash can try against Flareon and I'll let Pidgeot eat Pinsir. As for Tauros and Raticate, Normal is super-efficient against nothing and weak to Fighting, and Hitmontop's still at the Center. Don't underestimate them, though, okay?"

The six chosen nodded. Tomorrow would be fierce...

The next morning, Ash woke up at dawn. Silently leaving the building, he went to the garden and, after running for half an hour, performed his warm-ups. He followed with capoeira, smiling as the cold morning dew refreshed his body and helped him clear his mind. Slowly, he started to feel the Aura inside him, flowing along his moves, increasing in strength until the boy felt cloaked in it. Raising his hand, he formed a perfect Aura Sphere he sent on a rock. The chunk of stone burst into thousand splinters. Ash smiled. The same way he had destroyed this boulder, he would fire A. J. from the tournament.

His friends found him clean and fresh at the cafeteria, eating breakfast with Pikachu and Axew. Silver frowned.

"I heard something explode. Was it you?"

"Yeah. I did my morning routines. Made me feel way better."

His voice was firm and determined and didn't hold the slightest bit of sympathy. Simon frowned.

"You really are making it personal, are you?"

"I am. Ritchie is a friend. A. J. will regret messing with him."

"But Ritchie still lost. It's part of the game."

"Losing? Yes. Being insulted and brought lower than dirt by your opponent? Not on my watch."

Brock sighed.

"No changing your mind, eh? You really are like Silver. Guess there's no asking if you're ready or not."

Ash grinned.

"Yep. I am all ready and set. A. J. will never see it coming."

The time finally came for fighting. In the largest arena of the Conference, the crowd invaded the bleachers. Delia, Oak and the group were in the ringside with Ritchie, who was very eager to see the fight. Behind them were the Gym Leaders, Giovanni and the Rocket Trio and finally the Elite Four. Johnny appeared in the booth.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this second-to-last day of the Indigo Conference! Today is a great day: today is the day of the _Semi-Finals!_ "

The crowd erupted in cheers. On Ash's side were flags showing Moltres and the boy, banners carrying loving and encouraging words, placards with various messages but all those things meant the same: the crowd loved the young Aura Guardian. On the other side, A. J.'s supporters were just as many. Banners with Zapdos and a lightning bolt, encouraging placards and banners, everything was here. People even showered the place with red, blue, green and yellow petals. Johnny grinned.

"I see you guys are on fire today. Indeed, we're starting the day with the most awaited battle of this tournament: the confrontation between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, Chosen of Moltres and Slayer of Legends, and Adam Jagden, Chosen of Zapdos and the only Trainer to have won all of his fights using only one of his Pokémon! No wonders they call him the 'Lightning-Fast Winner'… But! Never forget this, my friends: Ash got his own nickname by defeating a … Zapdos. Yes, you heard it! Ash became the Slayer of Legends by defeating the very Legendary who chose our dear A. J. So I can promise you, this fight is gonna be **_EPIC!_** "

Now the crowd was ablaze. People were rising from their seat and hitting their armchairs, shouting unintelligible words of encouragement, pushing their favorites to go and crush the other to a bloody pulp. A little more and a pure riot would erupt. The commentator sensed it.

"Well, since you're all heated up, let's not wait any longer. Ladies and gentlemen, here they are!"

In the locker room, Ash looked at his team one last time. Pikachu, Charizard, Clefable, Pidgeot, Wartortle and Sandslash were watching him, waiting for a word. The boy rose.

"Now is the time, partners. The man we're going to challenge only lost once, and it was against Silver. All the others, he beat them with a single Pokémon. _All of the bloody lot!_ A. J. isn't called the Lightning-Fast Winner for nothing. He is dangerous, really. So we're going to be as dangerous as he is, not to say more. And We. Will. Crush. Him. Just like he crushed Ritchie. We will make him regret messing with our friend, to the point he will return to his little pseudo-arena crying tears of shame. Got it?"

The group roared in agreement. Ash nodded.

"Now is the time. Are you ready?" One roar. " _Are you ready?_ " The roar was louder. " _Are you ready!?_ "

The roar could be heard from outside. Silver grinned.

"He's been pumping them. A. J.'s in troubles."

Ritchie's eyes were stuck on the arena. Ash finally appeared under the deafening shouts of the crowd. The boy closed his eyes, absorbing their energy and making it his. He could feel his Pokémon shaking in their poke-ball while Pikachu's fur was standing, his cheeks sparkling from barely restrained thundering rage. As he turned toward the bleachers, he saw his family and friend, among which Ritchie was. His scowl turning into a kind smile, he winked to the boy. Ritchie saw it and nodded. The boy went on the rising platform, facing his opponent with a dead-serious face. A. J.'s arms were crossed and a cocky grin was on his face.

"What's with the frown, Ketchum? You seem quite angry, today."

"I have my reasons. Very, very personal reasons."

"Why? Did I kick your Pikachu or something?"

"No, just a friend you crushed like a Venonat with your Dragonite."

The green-haired kid froze.

"You mean Ritchie, the boy I faced yesterday?"

"Yes. He was my friend. I would have dropped it if you merely beat him, but what you said afterward wasn't so nice at all. Ritchie was in tears after your fight. I'm here for payback."

Adam gulped. Deciding against retorting, he wisely chose to keep his mouth shut. Ash was already angry at him, no need to push him more. He took a poke-ball. Ash nodded.

"I'll let you do the first move. But be careful, I intend it to make it your last."

Johnny grinned.

"One could feel the tension going between the two. This battle is going to set the place on fire! _BEGIN!_ "

(Play [Otherworld](https://youtu.be/iXqtVDzzgCU), Final Fantasy X)

"Raticate, I choose you!"

Ash frowned. Raticate? Well, actually…

"Pidgeot, go!"

The rodent faced the bird of prey. Pidgeot's wings were shaking with excitement. As for Raticate, the rodent was trying to ignore the bloodlust that came from the monster. A. J. frowned.

"Raticate, Quick Attack!"

Ash crossed his arms.

"Quick Attack? Pff … Pidgeot, _Sky_ Attack."

Raticate rushed at the giant bird of prey. Pidgeot merely took flight, made a few rounds to charge the attack and dived toward his enemy, cloaked in silver light. The collision made the Mouse Pokémon fly high in the air. A. J. looked at it, stunned, then at Ash. Well, okay, Ash was serious. Better get the big guns now if he didn't want to lose.

"Raticate, recover and use Super Fang!"

"Counter with Steel Wings!"

The rat's fangs grew longer and glowed white while Pidgeot's wings took the color and hardiness of steel. The two attacks collided in a shower of sparks before both Pokémon jumped away. Raticate immediately rushed with Hyper Fang but Pidgeot wasn't about to let it impress him.

"Hurricane!"

Grinning, the big bird flapped his wings so hard that dust rose from the ground to add a blinding effect to the already dangerous move. Raticate couldn't reach his target and was blasted a few feet away. Ash nodded.

"Let's finish this! Hyper Beam!"

His rival growled.

"Raticate, Giga Impact!"

Red energy gathered in Pidgeot's beak while Raticate's body glowed golden. The two attacks clashed hard, the rodent fighting against the energy attack while Pïdgeot used all of his strength to push his opponent and utterly flatten him. In the end, Raticate's attack turned against itself and combined with Hyper Beam in a big explosion that left it smoking in a crater. Ash raised his fist.

"One less! Well done, Jet!"

Pidgeot chirped. His Trainer hardly ever used his partners' True Names, and even then, he just used part of it. Secrecy… A. J. frowned. Raticate was one of his best Pokémon and Moltres's Chosen basically toyed with it. He wasn't about to let that happen. Taking a poke-ball, he released his next fighter.

"Tauros, go!"

Ash nodded. Tauros, huh?

"Ready for more, Pidgeot?"

The bird's answer was to take flight. A. J. raised his hand.

"Let's make it! Tauros, start with Stone Edge!"

His rival frowned. Looks like the Wild Bull's level was different than that of the big-toothed rodent.

"Dodge 'em!"

The giant bird dived with Aerial Ace, nimbly zigzagging between the stone splinters. At the last moment, A. J. ordered.

"Thunder!"

Ash winced. Thunder usually had a low accuracy… which was negated when fired at point-blank range. Pidgeot flew away, shaking his wings to get rid of the current. The green-haired boy saw his chance.

"Giga Impact."

The bull hit the bird with strength, sending him flying on the ground. Ash frowned.

"Hold on, Pidgeot! You cannot get down now, really! Come on, fight back! I know you can do it, you faced worse before!"

Pidgeot growled. Sure he did. Now that he remembered, this Thunder was nothing compared to Zapdos's attack. Tauros was about to launch Take Down when he rose like a rocket, Air Slash ready and set. The blade of wind hit the Normal Pokémon straight in the face. Tauros flinched, leaving time for Pidgeot to charge Sky Attack. The bird dived on his opponent, sending him flying and finishing with Hyper Beam for overkill. A. J. was speechless.

"He took two of my Pokémon with a single one of his … Alright, I see what he wants." He looked at Ash. "You're serious about getting me out, right, Ketchum?"

"I am."

"Well, that's not gonna happen. I beat you once, and if you keep asking for troubles, you're gonna find them! I'm not the Lightning-Fast Winner for nothing."

"And I earned my nickname by defeating a Zapdos. Bring it. I can take whatever you throw at me, even Sandslash or Dragonite."

"Since you're asking so kindly… Dragonite, Hyper Beam!"

Before Ash or Pidgeot could react, the orange dragon had emerged, the energy beam charged. The pair was so surprised that none could react in time. The giant bird fell down the ground, his feathers burned by the attack. Ash gasped.

"Pidgeot!"

Returning the bird, he held the poké-ball close.

"You did an excellent job in taking Tauros and Raticate. Rest, now. You deserved it."

A. J. shrugged and returned Dragonite.

"That's why you're not gonna win. You're too soft with your Pokémon. If you don't push them a little, you will get nowhere."

Ash raised his head. His opponent froze at the threatening glare he was sending him. This was gonna suck big time.

(Play [Mombasa](https://youtu.be/CPgPxGX6nNo), Hans Zimmer)

"We'll see about it. What tells you I didn't train them hard too? You are two Pokémon short, in case you haven't noticed. Make your move. I'm waiting."

A. J. frowned.

"As you wish. Flareon, go!"

"Sandslash!"

The Fire eeveelution faced the Ground pangolin. Flareon puffed his fur collar and tail to appear more intimidating. Sandslash wasn't phased. A. J. made the first move.

"Flareon, Fire Blast!"

"Defense Curl!"

Focusing his powers, the flame creature generated a strong cross of fire. Sandslash curled on herself and rolled to deflect it. The next orders came simultaneously.

"Flame Charge!"

"Rollout!"

The two creatures immediately curled into balls and rolled toward one another. The contact made sparks and tendrils of fire. But contrary to Flame Charge, Rollout increased in power as it was used, which made it pretty deadly if the attacking Pokémon wasn't quickly knocked out. Sandslash rolled and hit Flareon hard enough to send it fly. The Flame Pokémon's answer was to make its body glow white and land with enough strength to make the earth shake. Sandslash nearly lost her balance but still managed to keep it and retaliated with Earthquake. A. J. growled.

"Grr … Flareon, Hyper Beam!"

"Dig and use Antlion's Den!"

His opponent raised a brow. Antlion's Den? What was that? Sandslash dug to avoid the energy beam. Ten seconds later, a quicksand formed right under her opponent. A. J.'s eyes widened.

"Sand Tomb?"

"Not exactly."

Flareon struggled to get out, in vain. In the middle of the quicksand, Sandslash was waiting. In desperation, her opponent threw her a Flamethrower she withstood. When the creature was completely trapped, she used Earth Power. The yellow geyser sent Flareon high in the air. Sandslash jumped after to deliver a Night Slash. Her opponent countered with Iron Tail, which was followed by Fire Fangs. As they fell to the ground, Sandslash focused her powers and slammed Flareon down before going with Giga Impact. The Fire Pokémon answered with Fire Blast. This time, the attack left visible marks on the female creature's body. Didn't stop her from squishing it like a fly. A. J. returned his Pokémon.

"Three down. Sandslash, go!"

Ash frowned.

"Here it comes. You ready, Sandy?"

Sandslash nodded. The male Sandslash appeared. A. J. smirked.

"Let's get rolling… Sandslash, Focus Blast!"

"Retaliate with Brick Break!"

Sandy managed to push the energy sphere back. The next second, Sandslash was rushing at her with Crush Claws. She managed to counter with Night Slash and was soon caught in a claw duel with her opponent. Unfortunately, the fight against Flareon had wounded her more than she would admit. A claw slashed her leg, another hit her stomach. Sensing she was in troubles, Ash raised a poké-ball.

"Slash-sandslash!" (Don't do that!)

Turning to her Trainer, she moved her claws.

(Don't return me now. I know I have no chances of defeating that male, but I can weaken him enough that Starlight has the job cut for her. Don't worry about me. I know what I'm doing and am ready for defeat…)

Ash frowned and closed his eyes, understanding the feeling inside his partner.

"I see. Alright, Sandy. Do your best. I'm counting on you."

"Sandslash!" (Don't worry!)

She pushed the male away and unleashed a violent Earth Power. Her next move was to curl on herself and roll, Giga Impact charged. Sandslash retaliated with Earthquake. Sandy still managed to navigate between the rocks, hitting her opponent dead on. A. J.'s Pokémon was thrown away but quickly got back on his feet and used Magnitude. Its power level was ten. Unable to move, the valiant female closed her eyes and let the strength of the attack send her into blissful coma. A. J. crossed his arms.

"One down. Bring your next."

Ash returned his Sandslash and held her close.

"Thank you, Sandy. You did an excellent job with both of your opponents. Rest now. Your friends will finish what you've started."

The female Sandslash was unable to hear him, but she sensed his feelings and it made her smile in her sleep. With a master like this, not even Legendaries frightened her. She had gone a long way from the shy and easily-frightened Sandshrew caught by Giovanni. Taking a poké-ball, Ash brought his next partner.

"Starlight, go!"

(Play [Mission Impossible 2 Theme](https://youtu.be/jgJ3QnrD3k0), Limp Bizkit)

The creature that emerged looked like a Clefable, but everyone could tell that, deep down inside, it was worse than a Lucario. It had the face of a pink fairy and the blazing heart of a Charizard. The girl had seen the fight from its very beginning and so knew what had happened. She turned to Ash and nodded. As some people would say, Ouch Time incoming right this way. A. J.'s eyes narrowed. There it was, Ash's trump Pokémon. Sandslash frowned as he recognized the little pink ball he had once defeated. The creature had undoubtedly grown. Before his Trainer could give an order, he unleashed Earthquake. Clefable's answer was to jump, channel solar energy in her wings and shoot a Solar Beam powerful enough to destroy half of the arena. Sandslash escaped with his life by digging underground… which proved to be a bad idea when the girl landed heavily with Meteor Mash. The Ground Pokémon emerged, half-dazzled by the move. That's why he never saw the Hot 'n Cold attack that his his head. A. J. growled.

"Get a hold on yourself, Sandslash! She's beating you to a pulp!"

The pangolin shook himself and charged his claws. When the Fairy Pokémon came at him with Drain Punch, he countered with Crush Claws. The two pushed on one another … then Clefable spat Blizzard to his face. The creature staggered back. That trick was worse than Sucker Punch! He rolled away when an Iron Tail hit his stomach. The next second, he was knocked by a Solar Beam. A. J. was dumbfounded to say the least.

"One-sided fight all the way." Silver grinned. "Little Cleffa has grown a lot."

Returning his ace Pokémon, A. J. took a new poké-ball.

"Pinsir, go!"

Clefable glared at the giant pincer Pokémon before turning to her Tainer and doing a move. Understanding, Ash returned her.

"Let's get going, pal."

Pikachu's cheeks sparkled. There he went. Pinsir looked surprised when he saw the tiny rodent sent to challenge him. What? That's all? He who defeated Machamp in fights of pure power wasn't to be intimidated by a critter like such. Then Pikachu shook him with Thunderbolt and he revised his judgment. That critter hurt. He ran at him with X-Scissor, only for Pikachu to jump and send Electro Ball in his ass for added humiliation. Pinsir turned and hissed. The rodent was playing with him! Pikachu ran and hit him in the pincers with Iron Tail, only for said pincers to grab him and slam him on the ground. Vital Throw! Ash growled. Never mind Pikachu's speed, this attack never missed. Well, not twice.

"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

"Pinsir, Close Combat!"

The faster-than-sound punches still weren't fast enough to hit a truly supersonic rodent cloaked in lightning. Pikachu's charge sent the big bug flying. Then he jumped and went for Mjollnir. The electric tail hit Pinsir right between the eyes. However, at the last moment and before the Mouse Pokémon could walk away, he seized him by the tail and flung him around. As a finish, he slammed him so hard on the ground that a _crack!_ was heard. Ash was frozen alive.

"Pikachu… **NO!** "

Simon gulped.

"Talk about a Seismic Toss..."

A. J. crossed his arms.

"Down with the little rodent. Your move, Ash."

The boy stood speechless. His strongest Pokémon had been defeated by a simple Pinsir! He couldn't believe it. It was simply… impossible! How could a Pokémon who challenged two Legendaries be defeated by a big bug? The answer was: it couldn't. Pinsir had turned away when a huge beam of electricity shook from the crater the mouse was in. The crowd watched the area. To their greatest relief, Pikachu was standing, battered and bruised, but his eyes a fierce shade of red and his fur sparking with lightning. Pinsir weakly turned to see his opponent glaring fiercely at him. Before he could react, Pikachu had left his spot. The next thing he knew, the Bug Pokémon was thrown off the ground as electricity ran thorough his chitin, sending him into a dreamless coma. The mouse then returned to Ash who cradled him in his arms.

"You did wonderfully, partner. If only that damn bug didn't catch you off guard so often, you would have done even better."

He then looked at A. J. The boy was holding a poké-ball and everyone knew what was inside. When Dragonite appeared, the crowd held his breath, wondering which Pokémon Ash would use. The boy thought a little.

(Play [Defiers of Fate](https://youtu.be/-xYeOY_6b3M), from Final Fantasy XIII)

' _Pikachu and Clefable need to rest. I want to keep Charizard last so Wartortle remains. He isn't as strong as the others but his Ice moves are super effective against Dragonite's dual-type. Alright, I made my choice._ '

"Wartortle, go!"

The blue turtle emerged from his poké-ball and faced the orange dragon. He frowned.

' _There it is. Well, I'm not gonna let Ash down. He is counting on me and I'll prove myself worthy of the trust! Even though… I don't know if I stand a chance against a pseudo-legendary Dragon._ '

He took a stance nonetheless. The battle began.

"Dragonite, use Dragon Breath!"

"Counter with Ice Beam!"

The two attacks clashed a moment before Ice Beam won over. It was about to land when Dragonite cloaked himself with Dragon Rush and dived at Wartortle. The turtle jumped using his tail and smacked both of his ice-covered fists on the Dragon's head. Dragonite merely shrugged it off and blasted the Water Starter with Dragon Breath. Wartortle rolled away and growled. No ways he would be defeated so easily! His opponent came with Dragon Tail. Jumping again, he unleashed a furious Ice Beam in the monster's wings. Dragonite's answer was to thaw them out with Flamethrower and retaliate with Hurricane. Wartortle was staggering when he landed. Dragonite used the opportunity to land a Dragon Pulse and chain with Dragon Tail. The blue turtle didn't rise. Ash frowned.

"He is strong. Ice is his biggest weakness and it nearly didn't harm him!" He felt a poké-ball shake. "Clefable… okay, here you go!"

The pink fairy appeared, apparently having recovered from her fight against Sandslash. When she saw her opponent, an evil grin appeared on her face and she cracked her knuckles. It was going to be so fun! Ash's eyes narrowed.

"Cosmic Strike!"

"Hyper Beam!"

The energy strike hit where Clefable had been. The creature jumped and aimed straight for the head of his opponent. Her fists hit both of his eyes, causing him to back up. A. J. growled. The pest was dangerous, very dangerous. He would have to give his all.

"Chain Dragon Claw and Superpower!"

Clefable charged her fist and sent Drain Punch to collide with Dragon Claw. Dragonite next grabbed her and sent her to the ground.

"Draco Meteor!"

The whole stadium gasped. The green-haired boy knew the strongest Dragon move? Lance frowned.

"Even for a Pokémon as strong as Clefable, the attack will be a lot to take. I wouldn't be surprised if it defeated her."

"She will rise." Giovanni countered. "As a Clefairy, she was able to stand toes to toes against my Machamp and win. She will survive Draco Meteor, even though I agree it will cripple her."

Indeed, when the cloud faded, Clefable was panting on her knees. And yet her eyes were more defiant than ever. She would fight and win, and a little meteor shower wasn't about to stop her! Her wings glowed with a bright light. A. J. raised a brow.

"Hey, if you think a little Solar Beam..."

It wasn't Solar Beam. It was _Hyper_ Beam. Caught off guards, Dragonite took the shot right in the wings. He howled back and glared fiercely at his opponent. So the girl was getting serious? About damn time, but it was still too late. Cloaking his body in a blue energy, he rushed at Clefacle who clenched her fists. Her double-Ice Punch collided with the big dragon and kept him at bay for a moment before Dragonite sent her flying with a move of his head. Then he used Draco Meteor again. This time, it was too much even for the battle-hardened fairy. She fell to the ground, out like a light. Ash's eyes were wide.

"No ways..."

It seems the boy underestimated the power of Draco Meteor. With such an attack to his arsenal, Dragonite was nearly invincible. He turned to Pikachu, who had been watching the fight.

"Ready to return, partner?"

Pikachu nodded. There was no way he could possibly defeat Dragonite in the state he was in, but he would stand anyway. Charizard was last and if someone could defeat the orange dragon, it was the fire Starter. So, without a single word, he jumped to what he knew was pure suicide. Dragonite threw a Dragon Breath. Pikachu dodged it, cloaked in Volt Tackle. He hit the dragon square in the chest before chaining with Mjollnir in the head, be blasted by Dragon Rush, grin as Dragonite was affected by his Statik ability and call a powerful Thunder from the sky. Dragonite roared in pain as lightning coursed through his body and answered with Draco Meteor. Sensing the threat, Pikachu tried to use Volt Tackle to avoid the move. He managed to slalom between the meteors and jump to his target… before being caught by Dragon Claw. That last move left him out. A tear fell from Ash's eyes.

"Well done, Pikachu. Very well done. We're gonna win for sure now."

He went to take his fallen friend and cradled him in his arms. Silently, he went to the bleachers and gave him to Simon, who took the creature with respect. Pikachu was Ash's closest friend. The only other he would have entrusted him to was his surrogate father, Silver. The boy returned to the platform, fully aware of how silent the stadium was. He took his last poké-ball and held it tight, for in the sphere was all of his hopes and dreams of becoming a Master. A. J. watched him carefully, fully aware of what was to come. And indeed, there he came.

"Charizard, go!"

The dark orange dragon rose from his poké-ball with a thunderous roar and a burst of white-hot flames. Dragonite sensed how much of a threat his opponent was, for he roared too and glared at his opponent. The two faced each other, the tension growing up and up until it was nearly unbearable. Then they attacked, the two cloaked in Dragon Rush. The fight quickly escalated into a full aerial battle, the dragons fighting for dominion in nearly deadly charges that caused sparks to fly and explosions to echo. Dragonite used Hyper Beam. Charizard countered with Blast Burn. The explosion made the two fall but both got a hold before crashing down and resumed their aerial clash. Cloaking himself in fire, Charizard rushed with Flare Blitz toward Dragonite. The dragon channeled his powers and delivered a violent Hyper Beam. The Starter dived straight into the beam, much like Pikachu had done once with Mjollnir against a Gyarados. Though the attack was weakened, it still hurt the orange Dragon Pokémon who winced when a Dragon Claw hit his jaw. He retaliated with Dragon Tail in the stomach and was answered Fire Fang. Jerking and fighting with Dragon Claw. The two finally separated. Dragonite hurled Thunder, Charizard used Fire Blast. The attacks exploded in the sky. Ash frowned.

"Let's finish this! Charizard, Blast Burn full power!"

"Dragonite, stop him with Draco Meteor!"

The flame Pokémon focused up to the last bit of power inside him and rushed toward his opponent. Dragonite sensed the threat and caused a pure meteor shower to occur. The Fire Pokémon slalomed between them, still wincing when one his his wing and another his head. A third hit his other wing, and two hit him in the back, but it didn't stop him from reaching his target. And strike. The resulting explosion could be heard over all the conference site. Everyone watched expectantly, wondering who of the two dragons would emerge as the victor… The dust finally cleared, bearing the least-expected result.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in the Indigo Conference, we have a **_DOUBLE KNOCK-OUT!!!_** "

(End music)

Silver jumped from his seat.

" _WHAT!?_ "

The entirety of Ash's friends rose from their seat, watching intensely the scene in the arena. And indeed, both Charizard and Dragonite were lying in defeat among the craters and debris of the fight. Johnny couldn't hold himself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, after one of the most heated fights, if not _THE_ most heated of this Conference, it appears that both Pokémon have knocked the other out, resulting in a dual loss for both of their Trainers! Great Gods, it had never happened before! I can't believe _this fight_ of all others would end up like that!"

Neither could both kids. They watched their Pokémon in disbelief before glaring at the other. Silently, Ash returned Charizard and spoke in a soft voice.

"You couldn't bring me victory… but don't worry, Charizard. The most important part is that you defeated Dragonite and avenged Ritchie, even if he took you with him."

A. J. returned Dragonite and humped.

"Well, a loss is a loss. Besides, you were a formidable fighter. I never thought you would give me that much troubles." He sighed. "I'll be leaving, then. Gotta prepare for the next Conference."

Ash watched him return to the locker room and closed his eyes. His mouth held a strangely bitter taste. Despite what he said to Charizard, he was still sad he couldn't have made it to the finals. But he wasn't going to blame his Pokémon. They all gave their all for him and he would be a heartless jerk to blame them for not making him win. His loss was his, and his alone. No one else. Not his friends, not his partners. His. Tears rolled from his eyes as he left the platform toward the bleachers. Simon, Misty and Brock were the first to come to him.

"Man, that was amazing! A. J. was a powerful opponent, but you totally matched him! Congratulation."

The boy tried to smile to Brock's compliment, but the sadness, bitterness from the defeat and exhaustion from the fight caught up to him. He swayed on his feet before Ritchie caught him and helped him seat.

"Thank you, Ash." The boy smiled. "I have never seen a fight like this one. It was epic. And thanks for beating Dragonite for me. I owe you one."

"You owe me nothing." Ash weakly said. "I just did what I had to do. Because you're a friend. I… just… regret, I couldn't do more..."

His eyes finally closed. Silver sighed.

"Out like his Pokémon. He gave all he had in this fight." Carefully, he wrapped him in his cape. "I'll bring him to his room. He needs rest."

"Then I'll take care of his Pokémon." Simon added. "They have to be treated immediately."

The silver-haired man nodded and watched his son. A smile passed on his face.

' _Don't cry, Little Ashling. You may have lost the Conference, yet you gave us the greatest of all victories._ '


	30. No ends but beginnings

Switch on the sky and the stars glow for you,  
Go see the world 'cause it's all so brand new,  
Don't close your eyes 'cause your future's ready to shine  
It's just a matter of time before we learn how to fly!  
Welcome to the rhythm of the night!  
There's something in the air you can't deny …

It's been fun but now I've got to go,  
Life is way too short to take it slow  
But before I go and hit the road,  
I gotta know, 'til then, when can we do this again?  
Oh oh oh oh

When can I see you again?  
Oh oh oh oh  
When can we do this again?  
Oh oh oh oh  
I've gotta know, 'til then, when can I see you again?  
Oh oh oh oh  
When Can I See You Again?

Joined at the hip, yeah, your sidekick needs you.  
Life is a trip down the road that leads you.  
Look all around at all the mountains you haven't climbed,  
It's just a matter of time before we learn how to fly!  
Welcome to the rhythm of the night!  
There's something in the air you can't deny …

It's been fun but now I've got to go,  
Life is way too short to take it slow  
But before I go and hit the road,  
I gotta know, 'til then, when can we do this again?  
Oh oh oh oh

When can I see you again?  
Oh oh oh oh  
When can we do this again?  
Oh oh oh oh  
I've gotta know, when can I see you again?  
[When can I see you again](https://youtu.be/fpnUrPUlJXY), Owl City

Ash's eyes fluttered open when a beam of light struck his lids. Growling, he tried to move only to feel two presences lying closely against him. Those presences were Simon and Ritchie. The two boys were sleeping against their friend, blissfully unconscious and totally unaware they stopped the boy from moving. Not for long. Simon's eyes opened too.

"Hello, little brother."

Ash raised a brow.

"Simon? What are you doing here?"

His voice was low so not to wake Ritchie.

"You passed out after your fight against A. J." The red head whispered. "Silver brought you there and Ritchie and I have decided to sleep with you after I sent your Pokémon to the Center."

The last words reminded Ash of his furious battle with A. J… battle that had ended in a tie. He frowned.

"According to the rules, anyone losing is out of the tournament. It applies to situations like this where both contestants are in a knock-out. In other words, both A. J. and I have lost. And we're out."

He sighed. Sensing his sadness, Simon rubbed his back.

"Don't cry on it. You still made it to the semi-finals. And besides, the fact that Dragonite knew Draco Meteor was a surprise for everyone, even Lance. And he is a Dragon specialist." He passed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Everyone agrees to say it was one of the greatest fights ever seen in a Conference. That someone as young as you made it this far in the competition is nearly unheard of. You can be proud of you, Little Brother. _We_ are proud of you."

These words worked like a balm on Ash's weary heart. The boy snuggled against his brother and let him hug him tight. After the sadness felt when he saw his best team fall, he needed a lot of comfort. And Simon was aware of it. Suddenly, a second pair of arms hugged the brown boy from behind. Shifting his head, he saw Ritchie with his head against his back, smiling. A surge of heat crossed his body.

"Thank you, everyone."

On the bedside, the Moltres emblem was lying broken and tarnished. Simon explained.

"It turned that way when you lost. Come on, let's get breakfast. You slept all the afternoon and through the whole night."

Ash nodded. His stomach was starting to rumble quite loudly. In the cafeteria, they found the rest of the group discussing over yesterday's events.

"The boy's Pokémon should be safe, now. All they need is some rest, at least that's what Nurse Joy said." Goodshow smiled.

"What about Hitmontop?" Silver asked.

"His cast is being removed bits by bits as his bones get healed. He should stay in the Center for one more week, then another two weeks without exercises and he should be as good as new."

"That's nice to hear." The man grinned. "Especially for his Trainer."

He turned to see his surrogate son coming his way. Ash made a beeline for him and hung his arms around his neck. Silver gladly returned the embrace and let him kiss his mother before ordering a solid breakfast. Ash gladly swallowed the offered food.

"So Pikachu and the others are still at the Center?"

"Yeah, but they should get out soon enough that you have your little rodent to watch Corey fight."

The boy's face lighted up.

"Corey's still in the race?"

"Yep. He's the finalist alongside another kid, Dorian Grayson. Their fight should start soon."

Goodshow smiled.

"It was originally planned to happen yesterday afternoon, but since your double knock-out with Adam Jagden eliminated both of you, it became the finale and was reported for today."

Ash looked down.

"Now that I remember, Corey said it was the third time he was entering the Conference. I hope he'll win."

Delia looked at the clock on a wall.

"Then, how about we go and find out, honey?"

Their stomach filled, the group went to the main arena to watch the show. They weren't deceived. The battle lasted for half an hour and was almost as epic as the boy's battle against the Zapdos Chosen. Eventually, Corey's Pidgeot was defeated when Grayson's Electrode used Electro Ball against it. Then Bruteroot blasted it with Solar Beam.

"And Corey wins the Indigo Conference after a truly magnificent fight! All hail our winner!"

Goodshow went with the cup and gave it to the courageous Trainer. Ash cheered along the others. Even though he wished he was in the man's place, he was still a friend and the boy was happy he finally managed to win a Conference. During the evening, the president of the Pokémon League gave badges to the Trainers who had participated to the tournament and commented them all on their performance. Ash's badge had a copper coin with a little flame in the middle, in honor of Moltres. The boy grinned.

"I'm gonna cherish this badge."

"You can." Oak grinned. "It was your first Conference and you went further than I thought you could."

"I've had good teachers." The boy replied. He turned to Silver and the Elite Four. "Thank you. I wouldn't have made so well without your help. I am very grateful."

Lance grinned.

"Anytime kid. Your performance was really up to our expectations. Had it been anyone else..."

"I would have won, yeah. Well, I guess I'll have to settle for this as my first try."

Lorelei caressed his cheek.

"You still put on a good fight, especially during your last battle. Don't cry over it." She raised her head. "And enjoy the fireworks."

Indeed, the sky was being illuminated with thousands of colored sparks, flying in the dark of night to explode in bouquets of green, crimson and golden light. Silver grinned.

"Time to go home. Where will you go, Ritchie?"

"Why not with you? I've never been to Pallet Town before. I wonder what it's like."

"It's a great place." Ash grinned. "You'll really like it there."

And so it was set. Using the various winged Pokémon they had, the group flew back to Pallet Town. To their happiness, a huge party was held by the town inhabitants in the honor of both Gary and Ash. Sure, the fact that Oak's grandson was brain-dead right now and one of Ash's Pokémon was recovering from critical injuries slightly diminished the fun, but it was a great party otherwise. Later that day, as the group was resting, Silver asked a question.

"Well… what now?"

Everyone turned to him. The man shrugged and explained.

"Now that the Conference is over, what are you going to do? You're not gonna wait without doing nothing for one full year 'til the next Conference starts, right?"

Brock frowned.

"You're right. We have to make plans for the future. Well, either I return home to help dad with my siblings or I continue my journey to become a Breeder."

"Same here." Misty frowned. "I can return to Cerulean City and become a Gym Leader or keep wandering across Kanto to become a Water Master."

Simon crossed his arms.

"Well, I'm going back to Johto. I have a few friends here, Ethan and Kris. It's been some time since I didn't see them."

Ash nodded.

"So you're going to keep traveling?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'm going with you." Ritchie grinned. "I want to discover other regions aside from Kanto. And Johto is not far from there."

Silver turned to Ash.

"What about you, kid?"

The boy looked down.

"I don't know. I want to stay here some more, be with you and Mom, but it would mean cast aside everything I've learned through this journey and you said I'm really good for a Trainer. And I'm not just a Trainer. I'm an Aura Guardian too. Aside from training Pokémon, I have to learn how to use and control Aura, and I don't think Aura Guardians study by staying at the same place."

"Actually, they do."

The group turned to Silver. The man explained.

"There used to be schools where young Aura Guardians were taught how to use Aura, as well as other fields such as history-geography, biology, philosophy and so on. More than fighters, Aura Guardians were peacekeepers and scholars. Once they had their diploma, they left their school and traveled across the world to help the weak and preserve peace. They belonged to no country but helped everyone, good or bad. Your ancestor, Sir Aaron, was one of them until he fell in love with the queen of Rota. After they married, he stayed in the kingdom and decided to open a school for other Aura Wielders. But as the gift became rarer and rarer, these establishments closed and are extremely rare to find. Nowadays, you only have a Master who passes his knowledge to his single Apprentice. Like you and I are."

Ash nodded.

"I see. Then I'm gonna keep traveling, but since Simon is going to Johto, I have to find another place."

"Why not try Kanto again?"

"Because I want to discover something new. Now, where can I go?"

"Ash! Delia! Silver! Are you in there?"

The group turned to the door.

"You can enter, Professor!"

Oak entered the living room, panting.

"Ash, my boy, I have something to ask you. You don't have anything planned soon, do you?"

The boy grinned sheepishly.

"Well, actually, I was wondering where my next journey would be."

"Perfect! I have a task for you. Usually, I would have called Gary but, since..."

"Yeah, it's not like his condition enables him to do anything..."

The boy lowered his head. Deep down inside, he felt guilty. The old man shrugged.

"Well, anyway, I need you to go to the Orange Archipelago and see one of my friends, Professor Samantha Ivy. She lives on Valencia Island and has something I want to retrieve, a mysterious poké-ball that cannot be transported by usual means and is, according to what she told me, impossible to open. I'd like to study it."

Ash's eyes lit up as he turned toward Silver, Misty and Brock. The silver-haired man grinned.

"Looks like we know where we're heading neck. Ready to pack your things, kiddo?"

Misty jumped.

"Orange Archipelago? I'm coming too! The place will be perfect to sharpen my Trainer's skills!"

"Then I'm going with you." Brock added. "I can't wait to see all these pretty girls…"

This made the group laugh. Silver nodded.

"Then it's settled, then. Get your bags ready. We're leaving tomorrow."

Ash's smile was as big as his face.

"And here we go again!"


	31. Pokémon data files

**Ash's team**

_Pikachu_  
Origin: Kanto  
Gender: male  
Nature: Mild  
Ability: Static, Lightningrod  
True Name: Fleeting Flash  
Move Set: Thunderbolt/Thunder, Thunder Wave, Electro Ball, Volt Tackle, Agility, Swift, Mjollnir

Bio: Pikachu is Ash's starter Pokémon and best friend. The two are hardly apart and care deeply for each other. Due to the time spent together, Pikachu is by far Ash's most powerful Pokémon, even though he isn't almighty. He is the team leader and Ash's second in command. When using Volt Tackle, he looks like a golden arrow.

 _Pidgeot_  
Origin: Kanto, Viridian Forest  
Gender: male  
Nature: Serious  
Ability: Keen Eye, Big Pecks  
True name: Jet Stream  
Move Set: Quick-Wing-Sky Attack, Sky Drop, Steel Wing, Air Slash, Aerial Ace, Feather Dance, Hurricane, Hyper Beam

Bio: Pidgeot is Ash's first caught Pokémon and one of Ash's most loyal and powerful Pokémon. He belongs to the Powerhouse group. When Ash caught Caterpie, he was reluctant to leave him in but changed his mind after Caterpie became a Butterfree. The two are good friends. When Ash cannot make decisions, he is usually the first to react and take things in his talons.

 _Butterfree_  
Origin: Kanto, Viridian Forest  
Gender: male  
Nature: Timid  
Ability: Compoundeyes, Tinted Lens  
True name: Timid Rainbow  
Move Set: Gust, Steel Wing, Bug Buzz, Hyper Beam, Psychic, Stun Spore, Sleep-Poison Powder.

Bio: Butterfree was caught no long after Pidgeotto, who didn't like him at first. This changed after he evolved and the two are now good friends. Though he has insecurity problems, he will be the first on the front line when troubles arise. Ash has great trust in his powers, hence the reason he is in the Powerhouse group. He mated a pink Butterfree called Bubble and was released by Ash, only to rejoin the crew later. The couple has a home in Oak's corral and three kids.

 _Clefable_  
Origin: Kanto, Mont Moon  
Gender: female  
Nature: Brave  
Ability: Magic Guard  
True name: Starlight  
Move Set: Iron Tail, Metronome, Meteor Mash, Return, Drain-Ice-Fire-Thunder Punch, Swift, Psychic, Fire Blast, Thunder, Blizzard, Sunny Day, Solar Beam, Focus Blast, Hyper Beam, Morning Sun

Bio: Clefable was born in Mont Moon from a Breloom and a Clefairy. Though she inherited her gender and species from her mother, her battle-readiness comes from her father and is the reason she was kinda an outcast as a Cleffa. After Ash helped the Clefairy at Mont Moon, her mother had her follow the boy. She never regretted accepting the offer, becoming one of the Powerhouses of the group. Her favorite activity is training to learn new attacks, especially punching ones. During those sessions, she developed a strong friendship with Hitmontop. She likes nothing more than secretly learn new attacks and impress Ash by showing them off later on.

 _Charizard_  
Origin: Kanto  
Gender: male  
Nature: Lonely  
Ability: Blaze, Solar Power  
True name: Blazefire  
Move Set: Flamethrower, Blast Burn, Flare Blitz, Fire Spin-Fang, Inferno, Dragon Tail-Claw-Rush, Outrage, Return, Hyper Beam, Aerial Ace, Seismic Toss, Brick Break, Focus Blast, Iron Tail.

Bio: Charizard was saved by Ash as a Charmander whose Trainer had abandoned him. Being often used for battles, he was the third of Ash's team members to evolve, but he would have been fourth if Haunter didn't choose to remain a Haunter. As a Charmeleon, he became unruly and kept this trait until he evolved into Charizard to challenge Aerodactyl. During the fight, he learned and used Outrage to defeat the Pokémon, but this caused him to go in a rampage. Ash stopped him in-extremist, but not before being severely wounded by the Pokémon. This brought Charizard back to his senses but caused him to feel guilty for what happened. He still hates Aerodactyl for the incident and swore to never use Outrage again, unless he was in a do-or-die situation.

 _Bulbasaur_  
Origin: Kanto  
Gender: male  
Nature: Serious  
Ability: Overgrowth, Chlorophyll  
True name: Vibrant Sapling  
Move Set: any move he and his evolutions can learn.

Bio: Bulbasaur was, like Charmander, abandoned by his Trainer and left to die. He was saved by a girl but became distrustful of humans until Ash's actions and words made him change his mind. Bulbasaur holds the boy in great respect and is very loyal to him. He acts as the peace-keeper of the group and studied under Gaya, Silver's Meganium. Because of this, his strength isn't to be underestimated. He is close friends with Wartortle and Bellossom. He doesn't want to evolve and so carries a wristband with an Everstone embedded in it and, thanks to Dana's gift, he can use any attack his evolutions can use. You've been warned ...

 _Wartortle_  
Origin: Kanto  
Gender: male  
Nature: Impish  
Ability: Torrent, Rain Dish  
True name: Heavy Blast  
Move Set: Skull Bash, Rapid Spin, Iron Defense, Aqua Tail-Jet, Water Gun-Pulse, Surf, Ice Punch-Beam, Hydro Cannons

Bio: Squirtle was abandoned by his Trainer and joined a group of other abandoned Squirtle that got their revenge by making pranks on the locals. After Ash saved his life from Team Rocket, Squirtle felt indebted to him and became his new teammate. He is great friends with Bulbasaur and loves playing with the other team members. He is among the weakest of the team. Doesn't mean he is weak, though.

 _Haunter_  
Origin: Kanto, Lavender Town  
Gender: male  
Nature: Quirky  
Ability: Levitate  
True name: Shadow Grin  
Move Set: Lick, Shadow Ball-Claw, Dark Pulse-Assault, Sucker Punch, Confuse Ray, Hypnosis, Nightmare, Toxic

Bio: Haunter and his brothers were living in the Haunted Tower of Lavender Town. When Ash came looking for a Ghost Pokémon to fight Sabrina, Haunter accepted to follow him if the boy took him in his team. This is how he became part of the group, even though his brothers were a little reluctant to let him go. He never regretted his decision. He and Mightyena are Ash's 'Ghostbusters' of sorts, except they take care of Psychic and Ghost Pokémon. Since Haunter doesn't want to evolve, Silver made him an Everstone Ring. He and Ash have set a trick called Astral Form they use to spy and scout. His main hobby is reading, a skill he picked during Ash's training with Lorelei.

 _Hitmontop_  
Origin: Kanto  
Gender: male  
Nature: Modest  
Ability: Technician, Steadfast  
True name: Silent Hope  
Move Set: Bulk Up, Rock Smash, Brick Bream, Hi Jump-Triple-Rolling Kick, Low Sweep, Giga Impact, Earthquake

Bio: Tyrogue was born from a Hitmonlee and a Machoke. He lost his vocal cords to a Scyther, rendering him mute. Fortunately, Silver taught him sigh language. His parents were captured by Gary while trying to protect their son. Tyrogue himself barely avoided being caught by a couple of Trainers before being saved by Ash and his friends. He is great friends with Clefable, who shares the same love for fighting as he does and maybe even some deeper feelings, except he prefers using his feet while she prefer using her fists. He is very respectful of Ash, since the two trained together to learn capoeira and Ash accepted him despite being mute. Evolved into Hitmontop after defeating his father, who had been caught by Gary. Too bad the kid's last Pokémon was a berserk Alakazam ...

 _Mightyena_  
Origin: Hoenn, wilderness outside Verdanturf Town  
Gender: female  
Nature: Naive  
Ability: Intimidate, Moxie  
True name: Nightsong  
Move Set: Take Down, Crunch, Dark Pulse, Iron Tail, Shadow Ball, Scary Face, Howl, Snark, Sucker Punch, Return, Dig, Ice-Fire-Thunder-Poison-Hyper Fang, Hyper Beam

Bio: Poochyena was caught outside Verdanturf in Hoenn and was to be sent to a lab in Kanto, but the plane crashed in a forest. Poochyena managed to escape but ran in a Beedrill nest and was saved in-extremist by Ash and Pikachu, who cured her from Poison. It is one of the main reasons she chose him over Gary as her Trainer. She used to be naive and knew little to the world but grew into a very experienced and powerful Pokémon. She has a clone/little sister under Delia's care thanks to Mewtwo and is globally the team's all-around mother.

 _Wigglytuff_  
Origin: Kanto  
Gender: female  
Nature: Sassy  
Ability: Cute Charm  
True name: Soft Lullaby  
Move Set: Sing, Hyper Voice, Perish Song, Wake-up Slap, Double Edge, Brick Break, Strength, Ice Punch, Heal Bell, Light Screen-Reflect, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Hyper Beam, Focus Blast

Bio: Jigglypuff joined Ash and the group after they helped her cure her sore throat, the main reason she couldn't sing. However, it quickly appeared to the group that she cannot control Sing and always, always end up putting everyone to sleep. So when Ash offered her to join the group so she could train with them, she agreed. Over time and through a lot of hard work, she finally learned to control it and agreed to evolve, having previously sworn she would remain a Jigglypuff as long as she didn't master her attack. It's also during that time that she learned to read. Though she isn't a great fighter, she has a set of jamming moves that makes her the perfect support member. Her Perish Song is just as deadly as her Sing, something Blaine learned the hard way ...

 _Aerodactyl_  
Origin: Kanto, Granpa Canyon  
Gender: male  
Nature: Hardy  
Ability: Rock Head, Unnerve  
True name: Razor Fang  
Move Set: Ice-Fire-Thunder Fang, Crunch, Supersonic, Iron Head, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Smack Down, Earthquake, Ancient Power, Aerial Ace

Bio: Ash and Aerodactyl's first encounter was rocky to say the least. The fossil Pokémon first tried to kill the boy but was stopped and trashed by a rampaging Charizard due to a Supersonic-Outrage combo. Fallen, he was befriended by Ash's latent Healer powers and decided to stay at his side as a result. He and Charizard do not get along. At all. Ash knows it and tries his best to keep them apart. It is due to the fact both hold the other responsible for putting the boy in a coma and giving him the scar on his side. He is great friend with Omastar and Kabutops, the three being ancient Pokémon.

 _Sandslash_  
Origins: outskirts of Pallet Town, Kanto  
Gender: female  
Nature: Bashful  
Ability: Sand Veil, Sand Rush  
True Name: Sandy Claws  
Move Set: Defense Curl-Rollout, Sand Tomb, Rapid Spin, Metal Claws, Night Slash, Earthquake-Power, Dig, Brick Bream, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter, Giga Impact, Antlion's Den

Bio: first caught by Giovanni during a training session, she was finally given to the boy because the Rocket Boss didn't have time for her. Another reason is that Giovanni was thoroughly impressed by Ash's strength and wanted to give his son a parting gift, and he knew Ash would train Sandshrew well. Heavens, was he ever right. Under Ash's tutelage, Sandshrew turned into a timid but utterly deadly opponent able to defeat a Haunter all by herself when it comes down to it. Actually a Sandslash, she is at the very least as motherly as Mightyena and frequently serves as a baby-sitter for younger Pokémon.

 _Fearow_  
Origins : Pallet Forest, Kanto  
Gender : male  
Nature : Naughty  
Ability : Keen Eye, Sniper  
True Name: Hard Beak  
Move Set: Drill Peck-Run, Pursuit, Assurance, Aerial Ace, Sky-Fury Attack, Agility, Razor Wing, Giga Impact, Heat Wave

Bio: one of the Spearow who attacked Ash and Silver at the beginning, he evolved and took leadership position through strength and overall evilness. Then Ash came back and had Pidgeot teach him a lesson, catching him in the process to disband the flock. At first, he utterly hated his Trainer and saw him as a weakling. He also had a fierce rivalry with Pidgeot that was pretty similar to what's going on between Charizard and Aerodactyl. But Ash took him to train during his four weeks with the Elite and he soon had a change of heart after being beaten by an Electrabuzz. It helps that Ash fully opened to him using his healer powers, thus revealing a heart of rare purity. Now convinced his Trainer is the legendary Golden Heart (and he's right), Fearow harbors an undying loyalty to him

**Silver's team**

_Ninetales_  
Origins: Hoenn, Mt. Chimney  
Gender: female  
Nature: Haughty  
Ability: Flash Fire, Drought  
Name: Lya, in honor of Silver's ancestor, Lya Flamedancer  
Moves: Overheat, Fire Blast, Inferno, Flare Blitz, Flamethrower, Blast Burn, Vulcan Hammer, Tidal Flame, Hyper Beam

Bio: Lya is Silver's very first Pokémon, which he met when she was a little Vulpix. At the time, Lya was wandering around Mt. Chimney and heard Silver working on a very powerful artifact. Curious, she went to see him work but tripped and would have fallen in a vat of molten metal if Silver didn't notice her. The man caught her in mid-fall and kept her as a companion. As such, Lya is nearly three thousand years old and possesses unrivaled experience that make her a dangerous foe. No one has defeated her in a century. No one. That apart, she's able to speak human and served as a mentor to both Pikachu and Charizard. No wonder they can challenge legendaries …

 _Espeon_  
Origins: unknown, possibly Fiore  
Gender: female  
Nature: Calm  
Ability: Synchronize, Magic Bounce  
Name: Espera  
Moves: Psychic, Psybeam, Telekinesis, Teleport, Foresight, Mental Shockwave, Sunny Day-Morning Sun, Power Gem, Light Screen, Hyper Beam, Attract, Heal Bell, Psychic Whip-Tail

Bio: Lya's second in command, Silver met her as an Eevee in a forest. Quickly growing fond of her new Trainer, Espera evolved in a short amount of time and quickly became a powerhouse able to rival Lya herself. However, as a Psychic Pokémon, she is more mildly-tempered than her leader and acts as the voice of reason in the team. One still shouldn't forget she is at least one thousand years old and is more experienced than most Pokémon around …

 _Zebstrika_  
Origins: unknown, maybe Unova  
Gender: male  
Nature: Adamant  
Ability: Lightningrod, Sap Sipper  
Name: Blitz (the German word for lightning)  
Moves: Lightning Blast, Wild-Flame Charge, Thunder Wave, Thunder, Giga Impact, Double Kick, Magnet Rise, Agility

Bio: Blitz met Silver several dozen years before the story, after being corrupted by a dark force. As it was rampaging in the neighborhood, Silver went and tamed him by purifying him from the corruption. However, this cost the already-weakened man his ability to manipulate light. Upon learning his savior was an Ancient and about the price for his salvation, Blitz felt indebted to Silver and decided to stay at his side, becoming his mount and main fighter alongside Lya. Unbeknownst to everyone, he is looking for a way to restore his Trainer's powers. Nothing so far. His obedience reminds Silver of the Wind Runners from his home-world, who would serve the humans as a payback for their defeat in the Titan War.

 _Meganium_  
Origins: Kanto, Viridian Forest  
Gender: female  
Nature: Timid  
Ability: Overgrowth, Leaf Guard  
Name: Gaya  
Moves: Aromatherapy, Grass Knot, Solar Beam, Hyper Beam, Petal Dance, Frenzy Plant, Bullet Seed, Safeguard, Synthesis, Magic Coat

Bio: Gaya was found by Silver when she was very young. Her previous Trainer had abandoned her and she was starting to starve when the man saw her and took pity of her. The two have been together ever since. Being more gentle than the rest of her teammates, she chose to specialize in support, thus learning several healing moves and other defensive tricks to protect the team. However, should she find herself forced to fight, not only will she retaliate, but her Petal Dance has been known to reduce several Pokémon such as Huntail, Krookodile or Rhyperior to ribbons. She was Bulbasaur's teacher.

 _Articuno_  
Origins: Orange Archipelago  
Gender: male  
Nature: Brave  
Ability: Pressure, Snow Cloak  
Name: Odin  
Moves: every Ice move ever (his Trainer is an Ice Aura Guardian), Hurricane, Sky Attack, Agility, Reflect, Ancient Power, Hyper Beam, Eternal Winter, Freeze Drive

Bio: Odin was found as an egg in an unknown island near Shamouti. Silver didn't originally plan on taking it but, after seeing the poachers in the area, he decided he would nonetheless and escaped with barely his life, using his ice powers to fly away after being heavily wounded. He ended in Pallet Town where the egg hatched soon after the man woke up. Silver decided to keep Odin and train the Legendary Bird, who sees him as his father pretty much like Riyo. Odin is a strong fighter in his own rights, though he lacks the sheep power and experience of Lya and Espera. Silver uses him as an aerial ride.

 _Lucario_  
Origins: Sinnoh  
Gender: male  
Nature: Adamant  
Ability: Inner Focus, Justified  
Name: Riyo  
Moves: a wide array of Aura moves Ash later copied, Close Combat, Blade Dance, Quick Guard-Counter, Bulk Up-Calm Mind, Low Sweep, Iai Strike, Extreme Speed, Giga Impact

Bio: Riyo was found as an egg, just like Odin. He and other Pokémon were to be shipped to Johto, but a storm struck and the ship was wrecked by the reefs near Pallet Town and discovered by the inhabitants. Riyo's egg was found and hatched by Silver, which he sees as an adoptive father. Silver taught the young Riolu everything, even swordsmanship after his evolution. Indeed, as a Lucario, Riyo is one of the few Pokémon to use a weapon, a katana forged by Silver as a gift. The man thought it would be fun … Personality-speaking, the Lucario is someone nice but stubborn. As such, he and Ash get along perfectly.

**Delia's Team**

_Mr. Mime_  
Origins: Kanto  
Gender: male  
Nature: Serious  
Abilities: Filter, Technician  
Name: Mimey  
Moves: Barrier-Light Screen, Double Slap, Psychic, Mimic, Safeguard, Calm Mind, Baton Pass, Hyper Beam

Bio: a wild Mr. Mime who was befriended by Delia shortly before Ash's return, he is her main fighter who also helps her in doing daily shores and holding the restaurant. He is more defence-oriented and an excellent strategist who really deserves the title of Combat Butler. Also, he's the Team Leader.

 _Venomoth_  
Origins: Safari Zone  
Gender: male  
Nature: Hasty  
Abilities: Tinted Lens, Wonder Skin  
Name: Vivi  
Moves: Silver Wind, Bug Buzz, Poison Fang-Venoshock, Sleep Powder-Stun Spore, Supersonic

Bio: a Pokémon Ash caught in the Safari Zone as a gift for his mother, he is always on the move and works alongside Mimey to keep the house in shape. He has sharp eyes that can always tell when something is wrong. In the team, he's the jammer.

 _Nidorina_  
Origins: Safari Zone  
Gender: female  
Nature: Brave  
Abilities: Poison Point, Hustle  
Name: Lily  
Moves: Double Kick, Crunch, Poison Fang-Venoshock, Dig, Shadow Claw, Double Team, Skull Bash, Super Fang, Ice Beam

Bio: another Pokémon given by Ash to Delia, her role and that of her mate is more or less to be the house pets. Sure, she helps from times to times, but she still prefers to have fun. Alongside Theo, she is Delia's heavy hitter and can prove to be powerful despite her smaller size. Evolved during a battle against Ash.

 _Nidorino_  
Origins: Safari Zone  
Gender: male  
Nature: Hardy  
Abilities: Rivalry, Hustle  
Name: Theo  
Moves: Double Kick, Horn Attack, Poison Jab-Venoshock, Dig, Shadow Claw, Confusion, Sucker Punch, Drill Run, Head Smash

Bio: Lily's mate and the last Pokémon Ash gave to his mother, he is a proud and courageous Pokémon who never backs down a fight, but can be surprisingly kind toward youngsters. He and his mate act like house pets but are in fact Delia's heaviest hitters. Evolved during his fight against Ash.

 _Pikachu_  
Origin: Kanto  
Gender: female  
Nature: Bashful  
Ability: Static  
Name: Sunflower (Chuchu)  
Moves: Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle, Thundershock, Quick Attack, Swift, Attract, Thunder Punch, Fly

Bio: A Pokémon Ash and his friends met during their journey, she quickly fell in love with Pikachu and the two decided to pair. To stay together, she first became Brock's Pokémon but accepted to switch teams and go with Delia when the gang returned home. She is extremely shy and nearly harmless, preferring to help at home and be groomed. Her fur has a noticeably pretty golden shade. Delia uses her as a pet and power source. Doesn't like fighting at all but can. Arceus helps you when it happens.

 _Poochyena_  
Origins: New Island  
Gender: female  
Nature: Naïve  
Ability: Quick Feet, Rattled  
Name: Nina  
Moves: Snarl, Scary Face, Bite, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse

Bio: Mightyena's clone and technically little sister, she was born during the Mewtwo Incident but chose to stay behind after being 'defeated' by her original. Ash gave her to his mother, knowing she would be in a loving place where she could grow peacefully. Delia immediately took a liking into the girl and gave her a name. Nina is very grateful of her as it gives her a sense of uniqueness and, as a thanks, acts as a ferocious guard dog. Needless to say the amount of burglars around drastically dropped …

**Misty's team**

_Seaking_  
Origins: Cerulean City  
Gender: female  
Nature: Serious  
Abilities: Water Veil, Lightningrod  
Name: unknown  
Moves: Water Pulse, Waterfall, Hydro Pump, Aqua Tail, Ice Beam, Drill Run, Megahorn, Signal Beam, Poison Jab, Hyper Beam

Bio: Misty's first Pokémon she received as a birthday present, she is the team leader and a girl despite her masculine appearance. She is also a very battle-ready Pokémon who always enjoys a good fight but isn't without honor and has a very strict moral code. She never left her Trainer's side since she was given and is truly a force to be reckoned with, even though she doesn't appear often.

 _Staryu_  
Origins: Cerulean Outskirts  
Gender: genderless, but with masculine persona  
Nature: Hardy  
Abilities: Natural Cure, Analytic  
Name: Bloody Ruby  
Moves: Hydro Pump, Surf, Power Gem, Signal Beam, Ice Beam, Rapid Spin

Bio: a Pokémon who willingly joined Misty after seeing her train near Cerulean City, he is the youngest of a pair of brothers and a pure hot-blooded punk, compared to his elder's wiser temper. Very proud and more battle-ready than Seaking, he never ever backs up and is better fighting with his Trainer than performing with the Sensational Sisters. However, he is still under his brother when it comes to raw power and experience.

 _Starmie_  
Origins: Cerulean Outskirts  
Gender: genderless, but with masculine persona  
Nature: Calm  
Abilities: Natural Cure, Analytic  
Name: unknown  
Moves: Hydro Pump, Surf, Psychic, Thunder, Blizzard, Power Gem, Signal Beam, Rapid Spin, Flash Cannon, Hyper Beam

Bio: Staryu's elder brother and his guardian, he is wiser and more thoughtful, but way more powerful than his younger sibling. As such, he has turned into Seaking's right hand 'mon and advisor when Misty isn't around to give the orders. His parents were caught by poachers for their jewels and they met their Trainer by hazard while looking for a place to settle. Actually performing with the Sensational Sisters.

 _Bellossom_  
Origins: Hidden Pokémon Village  
Gender: male  
Nature: Jolly  
Abilities: Chlorophyll, Healer  
Name: unknown  
Moves: Solar Beam, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, Petal Dance, Energy Ball, Rain Dance, Hyper Beam, Surf. Yes, he knows Surf and Rain Dance. That's the side effect of having been raised by a Water specialist …

Bio: a Pokémon Misty met in the Hidden Pokémon Village as an Oddish, he grew attached to her and decided to stay with her. It is implied he was abandoned by his previous owner. He is a powerful fighter of hers and a male despite his girl-like appearance. And no, he isn't gay. But male Pokémon crushed on him at some points. He chose to evolve into a Bellossom to please his Trainer, who found Vileplume quite ugly and especially stinky. He is Misty's hidden ace against Grass, Water or Electric Pokémon and is actually performing with the Sensational Sister. Indeed, the little guy loves dancing a lot. As much as he loves Hyper Beaming his opponents, that is …

 _Psyduck_  
Origins: Hophophop Town  
Gender: male  
Nature: Naïve  
Ability: Damp  
Name: unknown  
Moves: Water Gun, Scratch, Shadow Claw, Amnesia, Psychic, Psybeam, Hydro Pump, Ice Punch (The moves in italic are only used during a strong headache)

Bio: a very dim-witted Pokémon Misty accidentally caught but decided to keep nonetheless since he was a Water type, he is perpetually confused and doesn't know anything about anyone or even how he got out of his poké-ball. As such, many team members consider him a dead-weight. No matter this, he is still extremely loyal to Misty and never means to cause the troubles he ends up unleashing. Like his species, he suffers from perpetual headaches that makes him so confused. When it gets bad enough, the team has one rule: run, far, fast. Because it causes him to have a power boost strong enough to curb-stomp a **GYARADOS**.

 _Omastar_  
Origins: Grandpa Canyon  
Gender: male  
Nature: Mild  
Abilities: Swift Swim, Weak Armor  
Name: unknown  
Moves: Hydro Pump, Withdraw, Dive, Whirlpool, Iron Defense, Earth-Ancient Power, Aurora Beam, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Smack Down, Rollout, Hyper Beam

Bio: a Fossil Pokémon resurrected by Blaine alongside Kabutops, he was chosen because he is more Water-oriented than his friend, who was chosen by Brock. Usually kind and gentle, Misty at times uses him for transport, but behind this façade lies the heart of a predator who can pack a massive punch and has the widest move set of the team. He, Kabutops and Aerodactyl are great friends. Misty uses him as her main battler with Staryu since Starmie was dropped at Cerulean.

 _Horsea_  
Origins: Porto Vista  
Gender: male  
Nature: Quiet  
Ability: Sniper  
Name: unknown  
Moves: Water Gun, Twister, Aurora Beam, Dragon Dance

Bio: Horsea was entrusted to Misty by Kraken after the Porto Vista incident. He is very weak and fragile, the team's ill child and little baby alongside Togepi. Misty hardly ever uses him to fight and chose to leave him at Cerulean under his sisters' care. Lily seems quite fond of him…

 _Togepi_  
Origins: Grandpa Canyon  
Gender: male  
Nature: Brave  
Ability: Serene Grace  
Name: unknown  
Moves: Metronome, Charm

Bio: a Pokémon found as an egg in Grandpa Canyon, he hatched under Misty's care and became hers as a result. He is extremely childish and in no ways a fighter, but one of the attacks he knows is Metronome, which proved a real blessing more than once … At first friends with Horsea, he turned to Axew after the blue seahorse was left at Cerulean City. Every Pokémon in the team and outside is fiercely protective toward him.

 _Tentacruel_  
Origins: Porto Vista  
Gender: male  
Nature: Adamant  
Abilities: Clean Body, Rain Dish  
Name: Kraken  
Moves: unknown

Bio: a giant Pokémon met at Porto Vista, he doesn't really belong to Misty but instead lends her a hand whenever she needs it, like during the eruption of Cinnabar's volcano. This is due to the incident at Porto Vista, where the humans decided to destroy the coral reef around the area and the Tentacool reacted. Misty managed to convince him to spare the town and gained his trust with her courage. Touched by her words, he promised her she could always count on her and even gave her his True Name as a sign of friendship. So far, he always held his promise.

**Brock's team**

_Onix_  
Origins: Pewter City  
Gender: male  
Nature: Gentle  
Abilities: Sturdy, Weak Armor  
True Name: unknown  
Moves: Stealth Rock, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Smack Down, Earth Power, Dig, Earthquake, Iron Head-Tail, Flash Cannon, Defense Curl, Bind, Harden

Bio: a wild Onix caught by Brock's father as a birthday present, he is great friends with his Trainers and has a kindness befitting a team leader. However, it happens he loves being pampered as much as fighting and could spend his whole day being taken care of. He and Vulpix are good friends because of that.

 _Golem_  
Origin: around Pewter City  
Gender: male  
Nature: Bold  
Abilities: Rock Head, Sand Veil  
True Name: unknown  
Moves: Defense Cuel-Rollout, Stone edge, Magnitude, Rock Slide, Earthquake, Iron Defense, Giga Impact, Heavy Slam, Steamroller, Focus Blast, Hammer Arm, Flamethrower, Thunder Punch

Bio: the team's big guy who was caught by Brock as a Geodude, he is one of the man's first Pokémon and is incredibly loyal toward him. His blood is hot and he is always looking for a good fight, which makes him a perfect Partner for the cooler and more level-headed Kabutops.

 _Vulpix_  
Origin: Scissor Street  
Gender: female  
Nature: Sassy  
Ability: Flash Fire  
True Name: none  
Moves: Flamethrower, Flare Blitz, Confuse Ray, Hex, Faint Attack, Payback

Bio: a little girl entrusted to Brock by fellow Breeder Suzy, she isn't a fighter at all and prefers to be pampered all days, making her good friends with Onix. At first very distrustful of others with chances of burnt face if entering her vital space, Lya and her teammates helped open up, especially Zubat. She does know a few offensive moves and will fight back when forced to. Overall quite lazy, arrogant and capricious.

 _Zubat_  
Origin: Mt. Moon  
Gender: female  
Nature: Mild  
Abilities: Inner Focus, Infiltrator  
True Name: unknown  
Moves: Bite; Faint Attack, Giga Drain, Quick-Wing Attack, Acrobatics, Air Slash, Shadow Ball, Poison Fang, Supersonic

Bio: a girl caught quite early by Brock, she is the polar opposite of Vulpix, being humble, helpful and kind. Brock uses her as his main aerial attacker as she is more battle-ready than Onix and Vulpix, but doesn't mind some care at all.

 _Kabutops_  
Origin: Grandpa Canyon  
Gender: male  
Nature: Serious  
Abilities: Battle Armor, Weak Armor  
True Name: unknown  
Moves: Ancient-Earth-Superpower, Night Slash, Metal Sound, Surf, Giga Drain, Mud Shot, Swords Dance, X-Scissor, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Aqua Jet

Bio: an ancient Pokémon resurected by Blaine from a Dome Fossil alongside Misty's Omastar, he is a deadly swordsman and Onix's advisor due to his calm and knowledge. He just loves fighting and gets perfectly along Zubat and Golem, just as he does with Aerodactyl and Omastar for being prehistoric Pokémon. He and Golem are competing for who would have the widest move pool... So far, he wins.

* * *

**And here we are. Story finished, with as little alterations as I could. It feels weird, reading a story I wrote nearly a decade ago. I wasn't even out of high school yet ! But, back then, I managed to finish them. So, compare my current works and this old one. How was it ?**


End file.
